Women and Entrepreneurship

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Shahnaz Husain believed that an entrepreneur must have a dream and the commitment to pursue it. She believed that business was not simply about employing the right management principles. She said, "I have often gone beyond pure business dealings as such, because for me dua (blessings) is important."20 Shahnaz Husain believed that a true entrepreneur is a person who has independence of spirit: "One should be innovative, dynamic and willing to try every avenue towards success."21 She did not look on her work as a career. It was more like an obsession and the sole purpose of her existence. All her dreams revolved around her work and she applied herself to it with complete commitment. According to Shahnaz Husain, a desire to excel, hard work and relentless determination also go into making an entrepreneur. She said, to succeed, one must never give up and never stop trying: "I always feel I have another mountain to climb and another frontier to cross. I never rest on my laurels."22 She puts in 18 hours of work and channelizes all her energy into her company. Her commitment and self confidence have made her company one of the most successful of its kind in the world.

Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad (SMGULP)

The entrepreneurial success of SMGULP²³ is noteworthy. SMGULP was a cooperative system in which women over the age of 18 could become members. Starting humbly, with an initial capital of Rs 80, borrowed from a local money lender and social worker, SMGULP grew phenomenally. In 2002, it had a turnover of Rs 3 billion and exports worth Rs.100 million. It employed 42,000 people in 62 divisions all over the country. SMGULP was the brain child of seven semi-literate Gujarati housewives, who started a venture to create a sustainable livelihood using the only skill they had- cooking. The seven women were Jaswantiben Jamnadas Popat, Parvatiben Ramdas Thodani, Ujamben Narandas Kundalia, Banuben. N. Tanna, Laguben Amritlar Gokani, Jayaben V. Vithalani, and one more lady whose name is not known. These women did not know what entrepreneurship was; neither did they envisage the proportions their small business venture would grow to. All they wanted was to do something worthwhile with their time and help supplement their family income. In March 1959, this group of women borrowed Rs 80 from Chaganlal Karamsi Parekh, a member of the Servants of India Society and a social worker. With this capital, they started making papads and selling them to a merchant known to them. Gradually the business grew and its membership increased. Within three months there were about 25 women making papads. Soon the women bought some equipment for the business, like utensils, cupboards, stoves, etc. During the first year, the women had to stop production during the rainy season as the rains would prevent the drying of the papads. The next year, they solved the problem by buying a cot and a stove. The papads were kept on the cot and the stove below the cot so that the process of drying could take place in spite of the rains. By the end of the first six months, they were able to reward themselves with half a gram of gold each from the profit they had made. The group got considerable publicity through word-of-mouth and articles in vernacular newspapers. This publicity helped it increase its membership. By the second year of its formation, 100 to 150 women had joined the group, and by the end of the third year more than 300 women were rolling papads. In 1962, the name Lijjat was chosen by the group for its products. The organization was named Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad. By 1962-63, its annual sales of papads touched Rs.0.18 million. In July 1966, SMGULP was registered as a society under the Societies Registration Act 1860.

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20] www.lifepositive.com
21] www.lifepositive.com
22] www.lifepositive.com
23] Mahila in Hindi means women, Griha means home, Udyog means industry or work, and Lijjat means tasty. Papad is a flat, thin, dried roll of kneaded flour mixed with spicy ingredients. Papad has a reasonably long shelf life, can be toasted or fried in oil and served as a snack or taken along with food.

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