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In a small town where time seemed to move slowly, there lived a young woman named Jagriti. She had returned home for a vacation to spend time with her parents, Baba and Maa. August had arrived, and Independence Day was just around the corner.
As the town buzzed with preparations for the celebration, Jagriti couldn’t help but notice the lingering backward and narrow thinking that some people still held. Nevertheless, she enthusiastically joined the children in preparing for the Independence Day program.
After the flag hoisting ceremony, a neighbour kindly invited everyone for tea. Jagriti, along with her sister, accepted the invitation. The gathering was pleasant until the topic took an unexpected turn when another neighbour asked about Jagriti’s marriage.
With a tinge of sarcasm, he questioned if it was a love marriage, to which Jagriti nodded proudly. However, he couldn’t resist making a snide comment about Jagriti marrying after “seeing it all.” His words sparked anger within her, and she reflected on the societal expectations surrounding decisions, especially for women.
In her heart, Jagriti pondered that even parents make decisions based on certain criteria, like finding an educated and well-mannered partner from a good family. She had done the same and she herself hailed from a respectable family and had completed her education from a renowned college.
Jagriti recognized the unfair judgment that came with decisions, particularly those made by women. She wondered why society struggled to appreciate a woman’s ability to make choices, especially when she is educated and capable. The dilemma echoed the irony of some wanting their daughters to be bold decision-makers but struggling to accept it when they actually are.
As Jagriti sipped her tea, she contemplated whether this resistance stemmed from male ego or simply a reluctance to let go of traditional expectations. Regardless, she understood the importance of challenging such thinking and paving the way for a more open-minded and accepting society.
Image source: a still from the film Piku
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Though gender shouldn’t play a role in official policies and delegation of tasks, often policies and decisions need to be customised to realities of women’s lives.
Two women doctors had filed a petition against transfers at work. The Kerala HC has given a verdict that employers be more sensitive to the real life needs of female employees while issuing transfer orders.
This verdict must be lauded. It takes into consideration the fact that women play more of the default caregiving roles in Indian families. has been made after paying heed to the pivotal roles that women are forced to play in the typical Indian familial system. Several working women across the nation would benefit from its implementation as they wouldn’t be put in a tough spot wherein they would have to choose between their careers and familial responsibilities. A large number of female employees either let go of promotions that they should have ideally bagged or quit their jobs due to the transfer-posting system.
Yet, at the same time as applauding this verdict, we must look at the deeper issues of expectations from women. Women employees in any field would not face these issues if there can be a larger societal change.
The picture of a woman scurrying into the kitchen early in morning, preparing chai for her ailing in-laws and tiffins for the pati-dev and children is definitely etched in all our brains.
Putting the onus of the entire family’s health and well-being on the woman in the family derails from path to a more equal and just society where opportunities are equal.
Families consider themselves modern when they ‘allow’ their daughters and wives to work. However, this is not modernity. Modernity is achieving complete social equality in all respects, professional and familial. The responsibility of household chores, raising children and aiding the elderly must be split equally among people of all genders.
Though the Kerala HC’s judgement is vital considering realities of working women in most Indian families, the end goal must be one of a sea change in society’s mindsets.
Image source: by nicexray from Getty Images Free for Canva Pro
I am not a movie buff at all . I can’t stand them for what they show off without touching base in most of them . I can’t connect with any of those big actor’s movies most of the times as they seem to be disconnected themselves with what they act as . But I watched this movie with my college going son and I told him that it reminded me of the Doordarshan serial UDAAN that was aired in the nineties showing how a small town girl had worked so hard and become an IPS officer .. Kalyani Singh ( Kavita Choudhary had essayed that role I still remember that ) This serial had impacted me as a college girl then so much that I became the first girl from Allahabad to join Indian Army as an officer . Now this film similarly is going to impact many young college kids today and believe me it will have to take the credit of them becoming future IPS officers . What traits @12thfail_motivation and @vikrantmassey have so well exhibited – स्वाभिमान, arrogance ( yes it’s needed to stand tall on your ground ) , honesty , faith in yourself , faith in the system , willingness to bring change in the faulty system by first changing your own self ( which is lacking in most of us ) dedication , never giving up attitude and hope . This movie should be shown in every school and college of India essentially . 👏👏👏
That snake and ladder explanation of selection process in any competitive exam was superb . And kudos to the movie making team to introduce the RESTART button in our lives … a must button to keep with all of us .
God bless you dear @vikrantmassey so much 🙌
#12thfail #vikrantmassey #vidhuvinodchoprafilms
So it’s wonderful that Twinkle Khanna has done her Masters degree at the age of 50. It is an achievement to be celebrated. But can we do it without dumping more burden on her?
Twinkle Khanna had enrolled for a Masters at the University of London a couple of years ago. She has successfully handed in her thesis and earned her Masters in “Creative and Life Writing”. Her husband Akshay Kumar applauded her publicly on his social media handles.
He writes: “Two years ago when you told me you wanted to take up studies all over again, I wondered if you meant it. But the day I saw you work so hard and perfectly manage a full-fledged student life along with home, career, me and kids, I knew I had married a super woman.”
He also shared her story that had a picture of the spine of her dissertation, expressing her pride in her (which was great!) but spoiling it by the next sentence: “now the most important question – when are you coming back home?”
Yes, we are proud of Twinkle’s achievement – getting back to college and studying for a degree is no mean feat at her age, with all that a married woman with kids and a career deals with.
My mother went back to do her Masters when I was in my 7th grade, and it was no easy degree. She was an Ayurvedic doctor already, and in the late 1970s, the Govt of India had floated a scheme called Condensed MBBS in which medical practitioners from non-allopathic fields could do a shorter version of MBBS – covering the material for each academic year (which comprises 3 semesters) in one semester each, along with the mandatory 1 year of internship.
She did this, and I remember she was supported by her mother, my grandmother, who stayed with us to take care of the 3 kids – my younger brothers and me – while her daughter studied. My father was a Govt medical officer who stayed elsewhere, at the place where he was posted at the time while the rest of us stayed in one place in the interest of our education.
I was old enough to remember the struggle and her hard work.
So yes, it is quite something, even as we all know Twinkle must have had a ton of paid help to manage her household, and yes, we must celebrate her. Points to Akshay for being proud of his wife, doing this at 50.
But more than the fact that age is just a number – something else struck me in this news item.
“But the day I saw you work so hard and perfectly manage a full-fledged student life along with home, career, me, and kids, I knew I had married a superwoman.”
Women should refuse to be superwomen, or to be expected to be superwomen. Why this expectation, and why say it in a public post? Why say that she “managed” HIM, an adult?
Yes, he has been very supportive of her so many times, but that is just as it should be, not something to get him brownie points, even though sadly in when compared to the average Indian home, in the Indian context, it feels like a BIG deal.
This just further burdens women with these expectations. When those in the public eye with as huge a following as Akshay Kumar do and say such things, it trickles down and becomes a life narrative for other couples. As it is, his movies push a patriarchal narrative and glorify problematic toxic masculinity in the guise of “doing good”. Of course which wins him the hearts of the equally or even more misogynist men of India. And now this.
Social responsibility of celebrities does not stop at taking up feel good or “woke” topics for movie making. It also lies in the small things they say or do publicly.
Twinkle should be able to enjoy her achievement without the pedestal her husband is trying to put her on, or the expectation that she returns pell mell to take up all her responsibilities, including the part about “handling him”.
Image source: Twinkle Khanna on Masters degree on Instagram
“Are you sure you want to do this? Or rather do you think you will be able to do this?”
These words by my former boss keep ringing in my ears. He was astounded with disbelief when I answered his question, “So Pradnya, what are your plans to expand your business in 2024?”
Here is what made his eyebrows rise, my answer – “My long term vision is to bring such powerful cultural shifts in organizations with my work where women do not have to choose between expanding their family or going up the ladder in their career. I dream of a world where nourishing organization cultures are created where women thrive, bring their unleashed potential to the workplace and thereby build our country’s economy“.
So well, that is my vision and my 2024 is planned towards heading right there. Of course this is not an individual task, and I will be building allies and collaborations on my up there.
How am I doing this?
I have amalgamated my 15 years of work experience as a mentor to women into creating a system called as gender inhibitors and gender enhancers. I have researched, studied through and discovered the top 10 gender inhibitors which stop women from progressing in their career. Along with top 10 gender enhancers which help women in quantum leaping in their career. No one in India talks about it and I bring this potent work to individuals and organizations helping women work progression.
I realised last year itself, that if I had to work towards this vision of mine, I will have to let go of the distractions. Though my business is on social media, I asked myself “Do I really need so many social media platforms for my business?”
Answering to that question, I let go of Facebook and Instagram and now am focusing only on LinkedIn. I cannot describe the amount of more time I have with no scrolling on social media channels.
Believe it or not, but I have gotten back to writing our old fashioned letters to CEOs and HRs. Sending them by Indian Post boosting their business too. These letters are so well crafted and sent on a aesthetically curated letterheads that the moment someone picks them up in their hand, a wave of warmth will be washing through them.
I have also started a Newsletter where I share one potent concept each week to help individuals and leaders cultivate mindsets and capabilities, driving their confidence to step into their highest potential, creativity and performance. Challenging their thoughts to open up doors and opportunities they never thought existed before!
My whole outlook towards they way I converse and talk about my work has shifted drastically. I do not have conversations with a hidden agenda of making someone my client. Today I rather speak from an energy where I know my work is needed by the world and if I do not talk about it, who else will? I have this strong yearning inside me to shine my light cutting the cord of the consequence of signing up a client with it. It feels so light and so enjoyable. It works wonderfully where my audience actually wants to know more.
I am also making conscious effort in going beyond social media conversations and having real time conversations.
All of us have an unfair advantage. The one which sets us apart from others. The one which is our innate gift. For me, the top two are my writing and my intuition. I am using these unfair advantages to the fullest to stand out. Be noticed. And spark that glimmer in someone’s eyes to know more about what I do.
I believe our human life is magic. Our human body is magic. And my ‘why’ lies in activating that magic in you. All of us have some unique and innate gifts inside us which is our ‘magic’. My ‘why’ lies in connecting the human with his/her magic for them to realize who they really are and what they are capable of doing”.
And I cannot wait to unfold this magic along with all of you. Let’s start a revolution together!
You could have some plans to turn your dreams into reality this year… and we are celebrating these at #WillNotBeStopped. Tell us all about it. How to send in your piece? Find all the details here.
Images source: Pradnya Vernekar
Make no resolutions for the ‘New Year’. Yes, no new resolutions. This year I wish to live each day to the fullest. I don’t want to be limited to 365 days, sorry 366 this time. No setting off with an adrenalin rush to achieve what couldn’t be in the past so many years… then losing steam… then being burdened with guilt… followed by its sister… feeling useless and feeling like a loser.
I did a little introspection and realised I need to follow my own advice… the one I dish out to others- who care to listen to me.
For starters I need to be realistic. What do I really want?
Peace! Peace within myself and with others. Does that mean I am not going to put my foot down, when someone is taking advantage of me? Hell no! I need to stand up for myself. If I don’t then who will?
I mean, I can walk away from people and situations that don’t work for me. If I feel let down, or hurt, or upset… I don’t have to go through it again and again.
I need to remember taking care of myself is my responsibility. Family members may not like it… asking me to behave and not be irresponsible. But they are just taking care of their needs, not mine.
My heart and mind need taking care of. If I feel anxious, I need to have a plan to put into action, to extricate myself from the tormenting situation.
If my love is not returned, I need to accept that and move on. The right person will and we will bloom together.
Being an author, I must write every day. That is a commitment to myself. So, write as often as I can, wherever and whenever.
Last but not least, walk or run, and practice yoga every day. It’s like brushing my teeth or taking a bath. Let\\\’s see how it unfurls. Hopefully, 2024 will triumph where 2023 could not.
#Willnotbestopped
Women all across the globe have shifted their mindsets and are making huge waves.
Single women who express their wishes not to marry. Married women who are walking out from their complacent, and sometimes abusive lives. Women putting their lives on social media, being more open and expressive than ever before.
Some incidents which otherwise would have been shameful or once embarrassed women, are no longer getting the same reaction. In January 2023 the incident of the man urinating on a woman on a plane is just another reflection on not just how women are now strong enough to raise their voice and not be embarrassed, but also a reflection on how our society has made men feel so entitled as a man. We go into locked rooms and cover up with a cloth to even feed our own child but they feel no shame pulling out their dick to piss at every nook and corner or even scratch their balls in public.
I am so happy to see women pushing hard for their freedom and their choices. I try to battle for mine one day at a time. On the other hand the men spew so much hate against even the word ‘feminist’. There are opinions and expectations thrown around by men frequently, on social media, over cocktails… and not just by uneducated but educated people ;-
“That’s why girls should be married at the right age“,
“This is what happens when girls study too much”,
“This is what happens when girls get too much freedom”
Lot of disgruntled men are also calling this change a mid life crisis for women or the best I’ve heard lately – “Women now-a-days have just lost it and have gone crazy!“
But the truth is simply that for the first time, women are taking steps to just be happy, voice their choices and rightfully demand to be accepted for doing what feels right for them. It is really that simple.
We have realized what makes us happy, emotionally & sexually and we have the found the strength to love ourselves and voice our desires. While men have stayed in their well of patriarchy, bound by it.
I am sorry I walk away from the patriarchy of the world that binds you too. As much as I emphasize with you and hope you too find it in you to break from the conditioning of our society.
The direction I walk in is not a reflection on who you are. Its just simply that I understand me and I choose to do what makes me happy. I am not detaching myself from the world or you because I love myself too much. The resentment you feel that the hate you continue to brew isn’t for me. Just stop a moment as feel me as a human not just a women who should be selfless, nurturing and sacrificial at all times. I am a feminist, which only means being equal , it is not a term that means ‘ Man-hater”
I walk away because I just don’t agree anymore to the generations of chosen choices made by the world for me. You can also choose to do the same so we can meet again at a new horizon where we can stand equally and we both have not just the freedom but also full acceptance for the choices we make for us.
Image source: by triloks from Getty Images Signature Free for Canva Pro
What made Mala Honnatti, a banker unused to physical exertion, take up adventure sports in her 30s? Sheer grit and passion, it seems. And, a healthy dose of rebellion against a conservative family and society. At 70, Mala Honnatti’s voice rings with great confidence today. And, she says she owes it all to her determined pursuit of two adventure sports – mountaineering and marathoning.
Her passion for mountaineering has taken her to Himalayan heights of 22,000 ft on many occasions. She has trekked and climbed extensively in the Himalayas for over three decades.
Scaling Mt. Everest is no mean feat for an athlete of any age and she embarked on this challenge at 62 years as a retired banker! Mala was all set to hoist the national flag on the summit of the majestic mountain in 2015. But tragedy struck with the Nepal earthquake and the expedition was cancelled. This was a huge disappointment for her. She would have been the oldest Indian woman to scale Mt. Everest if she had succeeded.
Mala Honnatti is one the senior most women mountaineers and marathon runners in the country. She has run 26 full marathons across the world. She is the first Indian woman to do the full marathon in Antarctica at the age of 58 years!
Mala has been breaking barriers and living life on her own terms for several years now. By opting for male-dominated fitness pursuits and adventure sports, and succeeding in them, she has become a role model for other women.
Mala reveals all the trials of being a woman in a male-dominated world and how she stopped thinking about discrimination early in her journey as “the mountains don’t differentiate between man and woman.”
“Mountaineering is an extreme sport but I soon realized that women cannot expect any special treatment. Men face the same issues of exertion, exhaustion, pain and altitude adjustment as women do. There are no washrooms in the mountains so women have to rough it out like men do. Men have brute strength but, in my experience, women have shown more resilience and patience in the mountains than men. They are better at acclimatization,” says Mala Honnatti.
As a woman, when she started going running or jogging in the early morning on Delhi streets, she would be stared at. People in cars would stop and ask her age. Even cops would stop her. Again, in her gym, she was the only woman in the veteran’s category (35-plus).
“Yes, I started late and that posed some limitations. After taking up adventure sports I have become thick-skinned about gender discrimination. All I ask myself is when men do what they desire to, why not women?”
Mala Honnatti has lived in small towns in Karnataka and had not even seen a sports track as a child. Family expectations were to complete her graduation and get married. But Mala was career-minded. “I did BSc in physics and mathematics and then LLB securing distinctions. Then I started working as a probationary officer in a bank. Incidentally, I never got married,” she says.
Mala had been working in the bank for four to five years and was feeling bored. She began looking for something that would challenge her. “In spite of no exposure till then, I had an inclination for physical activities. I was staying in Belagavi at that time. Providentially, karate classes were being run by a ladies club in the adjacent building. I started learning karate and also began playing badminton regularly,” says Mala.
That’s how she started her fitness journey. The physical fitness and mental discipline developed through karate training helped her to be in the forefront in Himalayan expeditions and in distance running as well.
Her first trekking expedition in 1984 was very exciting as everything was new. “I did not feel fear but I did feel anxiety since I was doing something unfamiliar. It is a test of fitness and physical and mental endurance. You need to be mentally prepared and well informed. And, you should know when to quit. You should not push yourself beyond your limits,” advises Mala Honnatti.
In 1985-86, she did her basic and advanced mountaineering courses from Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling.
“Training and fitness are continuous processes. ‘Get up, lace up and get out of the house’ – that’s my mantra. I intensify the training process a few months before an expedition. I increase running distance and intensify gym workout. Also, I include climbing staircases, climbing hills carrying rucksacks, and more pranayam (to improve lung capacity). Swimming and cycling are also added to work out different muscles. You need to carry a 15-20 kg rucksack on an expedition. So, upper body strength is vital,” explains Mala.
Mountaineering and marathoning are expensive activities. You need a special diet, training, suitable gear, equipment, and so on. I put in my savings to nurture my passions.
Mala quit her bank job in 2007, after three decades, because she wanted to focus on mountaineering and marathoning. In 2009, she became a serious marathoner. In the veteran’s category, she was among the top three marathoners in India at that time.
Today, she leads groups of trekking and mountaineering enthusiasts on trips to Kashmir, Ladakh, Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh, and Nepal. Her enterprise, Maho Adventures, gets enquiries from the US, Dubai and all over India. “I plan different routes to make the trekking more interesting. This work gives me a different kind of satisfaction,” says Mala.
Mala Honnatti also trains those interested in long distance running and marathons. Today, at 70, Mala is fitter than those who are half her age, and continues her adventurous pursuits with the same zest as a youngster.
These days, she spends time both in Gurugram and Bengaluru in between treks. “Photography goes naturally with the kind of life I lead. It is one of my interests. Earlier, I used to write about my experiences. I am learning about managing an enterprise. I have picked up marketing skills, including social media marketing,” she narrates.
At the age of 67, she did a two-year MSc programme in yoga from Shoolini University in Himachal Pradesh. She attended classes with 26-27-year-old youngsters and topped the course!
“We are seven sisters and two brothers. They are all highly qualified professionals, well accomplished in their fields. I am the odd one out who is leading a nomadic, adventurous life,” says Mala with a laugh.
Apart from physical fitness, adventure sports have given her mental, emotional, social and spiritual benefits, she says. “Spiritually, you feel small and invisible but in sync with nature in the Himalayas. These activities have nurtured my inner growth as a person.”
Age is no bar to do anything in life. “A time of life that is generally viewed as twilight or retirement – I view it as a time to rediscover and reinvent and a time of opportunity and change,” says Mala.
If you shame someone for looking ‘ugly’, it is your perceptions about the ‘ideal body type’, not their physique that requires serious cleansing.
In the American comedy-drama ‘Ugly Betty’, we come across a scene that today’s teen can resonate with.
Betty is made to model as a substitute just to make a laughing stock out of her. Though generally optimistic, Betty is seen wilting from the way her body is being perceived by the people around her at that moment.
The stark contrast in bodily features between Betty, a shorter, chubbier girl wearing spectacles and braces and the two models she was standing alongside, both slim and leggy, deeply heightened her insecurities.
Pop culture often instils the notion of ‘the ideal body type’ which, believe it or not, changes every now and then. However, these ubiquitous and dynamic standards have a severe impact on the day to day lives of many, especially students since they are already grappling with struggles of their own in this vulnerable period of their lives.
With many celebrities projecting unrealistic body standards onto us, we must realise that these ever-evolving standards of an ‘ideal body type’ can never be met.
The girl you thought was perfect while walking into the mall probably cried herself to sleep while mulling over her waist size, since it didn’t fit the prescribed ‘32-24-32’ hourglass figure. A while ago, thin eyebrows were in style. However, with the rise of the Kardashians, people have been found investing in brow pencils to make their eyebrows look fuller.
In a way of combatting their own insecurities or maybe because they are just irrational, boorish bullies, some students on campus highlight the so-called imperfections of their peers.
It was pointed out to a friend of mine that she had thick moustache hair. This is supposed to be an insult since in our society girls having even the slightest bit of upper lip hair are frowned upon. Later, her boyfriend jokingly pointed it out as well. Naturally, this made her uncomfortable and she was vocal about it. Yet, she couldn’t get past the lingering feeling of self-doubt and so she has been enduring the pain of getting her upper lip hair removed on a regular basis ever since.
Though body shaming isn’t solely restricted to women, we must accept that women are usually the victims of it.
A woman’s worth tends to be associated with her ability to get married and reproduce. It is also a known fact that according to the formula of society math, a beautiful woman equals increased chances of her getting married, which further equals not only her success but the upholding of her entire clan’s name! Girls are given creams to brighten their skin from a very tender age in addition to prohibiting them from playing outside in the sun.
You must be tall, but not taller than your husband, you must be fair, you must be slim, you must be curvaceous…. uff! The list is truly never-ending! We live in a country where it has been etched firmly in our minds that fair is lovely. Rampant colourism and constant nagging to use a myriad of creams to look ‘brighter’ (since in our ‘woke’ society we don’t use the terms fair and dark anymore:/) are still quite prevalent, in rural and urban areas alike. Women are constantly belittled for their looks and are never made to feel like they are enough just the way they are.
An instance that I remember vividly, is being laughed at and subtly shamed for not having developed breasts when I was just eleven years old. I was a slightly late bloomer and while I was picking out a lehenga at my mom’s friend’s place, aunty and her daughter laughed at me whilst staring at my chest and calling me flat. Though they didn’t mean to hurt me, it stayed with me and made me feel abnormal, almost like there was something wrong with me.
This may make me sound like a petulant child, however, several such instances at even more bothersome levels happen to multiple people on a daily basis, where we glorify a problematic idea of the ‘ideal body type’.
An acquaintance once told me of the time when she had been reprimanded by her relative, who in effect had stated that she had become chubbier and that she had looked better before. To the person passing the comment it was just a mindless statement that probably slipped out of their mind in a jiffy, however, to this day the girl is unable to heal her relationship with food.
I am not advocating binge eating or obesity here. It is essential to be healthy. However, it is highly inappropriate to comment on someone’s physique without knowing what they are going through. They might be healthy regardless of their current weight! They might have a disorder such as PCOS or thyroid which makes it tough for them to shed the weight! It is between the person and their physician of choice to decide on a plan of action, if pertinent. People who appear ‘too thin’ for societal standards are also shamed and asked to eat more or at times even worse, force fed! These acts contribute to the person in question becoming overtly conscious and developing eating disorders in addition to several other mental health issues such as anxiety, impulse control and addiction disorders.
Hearing rude comments about your physique always hurts. However, when they come from the people you look up to the most, your family members, it hurts even more! A mother I know eternally refers to her daughter as ‘Gundamma’ which translates to fatty. Comments like this shatter an individual’s self-confidence completely. There are better ways to communicate with your loved ones if you believe that they must do something to improve their general health. Incessant body shaming isn’t a solution to anything!
Despite prevalent atrocities on a day-to-day in the form of mindless comments and acts that propagate body shaming, we must acknowledge certain changes that have been made.
Miss Nepal Jane Dipika Garrett created history by being the first ever plus-size model in the Miss Universe pageant. A 2020 Gucci beauty campaign which was launched with the purpose of celebrating the beauty of diversity, featured Ellie Goldstein a model with Down’s Syndrome, among other models.
One may ask why all of this matters.
With more and more diversity in pop culture and general campaigns, beauty standards will evolve to not just include but also celebrate the beauty of every individual. Increased representation of people of all skin types, body types, hair types and so on will cease the notion of the ideal body type and foster acceptance of every kind of body. On that note, let us pray for more lipstick shades that suit all skin tones and more sizes on the racks at malls.
Image source: a still from the film Gippi
When Aarti left her job in the private sector after giving birth to her daughter, she embarked on a challenging journey to start a pick-and-drop service with just one car. Her path however was filled with obstacles.
Fortunately, Aarti found an exceptional business partner in her cousin, and together they launched a tour and travel agency. Overcoming scepticism and bias from potential customers who questioned her ability to succeed as a woman in this industry, Aarti faced another hurdle—limited capital. That’s when she turned to Mahila Money, and her entrepreneurial adventure began to flourish.
In this WomensWebXMahilaMoney impact series, we bring you entrepreneurs like Aarti who had not just the ambition to grow, but took the steps needed to bring their dreams to fruition. Apply for a loan of up to 25 lakhs to fuel your business growth by downloading the Mahila Money App on Google Playstore or visiting the website here.
“I faced criticism for choosing a business predominantly run by men, but I was determined to embark on this journey,” shares Aarti. Through commitment, dedication to delivering quality service, and targeted marketing strategies, Aarti defied her critics. Despite the daunting task of launching an unconventional business, she fearlessly pursued her new venture with her cousin.
“Many doubted my capabilities as a woman in this field, but I refused to let their biases hold me back. With hard work and perseverance, we built a thriving business, and I take pride in our accomplishments,” says Aarti.
Undeterred by competition from established companies, often referred to as the ‘big two’ in her industry, Aarti devised a unique plan of action. Starting by serving family and friends, she quickly expanded her services to cover all of Delhi and Gurugram. Her dedication to providing personalized, high-quality service to each customer allowed her to establish a loyal base and thrive in a highly competitive market.
Aarti emphasizes, “To stand out in a market dominated by big players, I knew I had to do something different. It was a risk, but it paid off. Now, I have a loyal customer base that trusts me with their travel needs.”
Aarti’s business was flourishing until the outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020, which brought fear, and concerns about safety, hygiene, and social distancing. Public transportation, including cab services, suffered a severe blow, resulting in declining demand and significant financial losses. With the country under lockdown, businesses catering to offline customers were adversely affected, and Aarti’s venture was no exception. She had to bear the burden of paying salaries to her employees and meeting other expenses to keep her enterprise afloat during these challenging times.
“The pandemic presented challenges for everyone, and my business was not spared. I had to find new ways to sustain and keep moving forward. It wasn’t easy, but I remained determined to find a way. I knew I had to be patient, persistent, and fight against all odds,” says Aarti.
Despite the hurdles posed by the pandemic, Aarti remained steadfast in her pursuit of success. When COVID-19 cases started declining and the world began reopening, she decided to expand her business by purchasing a second-hand car. However, shortage of funds hindered her from acquiring the necessary asset, pushing her to explore alternative funding sources.
A serendipitous conversation with a friend at a cafe changed everything for Aarti. As a single mother managing her business, she shared her challenges and desire for additional resources to expand her cab service. Understanding her situation, the friend suggested Aarti explore assistance from Mahila Money, a fintech platform she had personal experience with.
Initially unsure, Aarti downloaded the Mahila Money app on her way home. She recounts, “The application was user-friendly, and I could navigate through it effortlessly.”
Having applied for loans multiple times from traditional banks without success due to the lack of collateral and patriarchal biases, Aarti was surprised when Mahila Money approved her loan of Rs. 2,00,000 within a short period. The process involved minimal documentation and eliminated the need for numerous visits to the bank. Additionally, Mahila Money introduced her to a supportive community of women and connected her with potential clients.
With the assistance of the capital, Aarti not only purchased another car but also felt motivated to explore new business avenues. Within weeks, her turnover witnessed a staggering 67% spike, soaring from Rs. 80,000 to Rs. 1,20,000. The upward trajectory continues, enabling her to generate profits and attain financial independence. Aarti describes her experience with Mahila Money as liberating and gratifying. She expresses gratitude, saying, “I am thankful to Mahila Money for their support during my time of need.” Aarti believes that platforms like Mahila Money are essential in changing how capital is granted. “I was shocked and joyous at the same time to discover that collateral or a guarantor was not required. This one loan has changed not only my but also my child’s life,” she adds.
Aarti’s story serves as an inspiration to young entrepreneurs across the country. She continues to run her business on her own terms.
We are excited to witness the success of entrepreneurs like Aarti, and their #JiyoApneDumPe stories moving the needle for women in business.
If you are a #JiyoApneDumPe woman entrepreneur who wants to take your business to new heights and needs working capital and entrepreneurship resources, get in touch with the Mahila Money team today.
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