The Hindu : Of innovative and successful women

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 09, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

Of innovative and successful women

By Our Special Correspondent

Bangalore March 8. There were no silver linings in the dark clouds looming over the life of Shobha Somasekhar of Kalasipalyam some years ago.

She had stay up nights worrying about unpaid bills and her husband whose spirit was broken by an unfaithful business partner.

For sheer survival, she had to work in an automobile showroom, routinely making out vouchers and invoices, and then give tuitions. Then her husband made a tentative suggestion about starting something on her own.

"He set me thinking and the rest is history,'' she says. It was not an overnight decision; she went through a three-month bakery-training course at the University of Agricultural Sciences, conducted in association with Canara Bank. The bank helped her through an Entrepreneurship Development Programme by its Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (CED) for women. It also suggested a way to raise starting capital: Prime Minister's Rozgar Yojana.

``My first market was the bank's Kalasipalyam branch, and soon I was doing the rounds of all branches and offices with a box of freshly baked cakes and cookies strapped onto my Kinetic Honda scooter,'' Ms. Shobha remembers.

Hers is one among the several success stories of women entrepreneurs compiled in a book released by the bank on Saturday.

The CED was established in 1988, followed by an exclusive training institute for women in 1990, and an exclusive branch for them (first in the country) at Jayanagar in February 2002.

The CED activities of the bank have become known internationally, and there is a steady stream of overseas visitors to study the income-generating activities.

As on September 30, 2002, the bank's lending to women amounted to 6.45 per cent of the credit. The Government stipulates only a five per cent norm.

The book, Success Stories of Women, by Women, for Women, was released by the popular playback singer, Manjula Gururaj, winner of the Best Voice and Playback Singer Awards instituted by the Karnataka Government.

Apart from free training, the bank has also organised an exhibition to help women market their products. Canbazar will display and sell products such as designer clothes, dress material, saris, leatherwear, dolls, paintings, handmade paper products, food products, kitchen gadgets, jewellery, and cosmetics.

The bazaar was inaugurated by Jayamma, once a footpath vendor and now a successful businesswoman.

The sales will be on at Kamakya Covnention Hall, 100-foot Ring Road, Banashankari III Stage up to March 10.

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