A little above the bottom of the pyramid lies a huge section of educated but unemployed women. These women, if guided can become a great source for increasing employment for others, usually other women, and could play a major role in the country’s economy.

      A Journey of 24 years now in MAWE of having led thousands of women to be entrepreneurs or handhold existing Women Entrepreneurs to help them transit to the next level. To inspire them at each steps, I guess has come from my journey of success & failure of 43 years.

         In 1979, I started with my first venture, Bromide Chemicals, when the word "Women Entrepreneur" was little known. Where I made X-ray developer and fixer in a makeshift workspace. Getting my first loan of a mere Rs. 15,000 was a huge challenge of being thrown out by the Bankers. Not only did I know too little about business, the bank too wanted my husband’s signature on the cheques. From banks to sales tax offices to clients, the presence of a woman in business was frowned upon.

Braving multiple challenges while raising my family and after quitting my first company, I started my second venture, Haylide Chemicals in 1992. Today, Haylide Chemicals manufactures and sells environmentally friendly cleaning products, is a market leader in its segment and is the only GreenPro certified company in its category.

     Having understood the motivations and challenges unique to a woman entrepreneur, I started the Madhya Pradesh Association of Women Entrepreneurs, (MAWE) in the year 2000, to encourage entrepreneurship in women and help existing women entrepreneurs. After 4 decades of entrepreneurial experience, I strongly feel that if other people can benefit from my practical experiences in life, I am there to share and guide them. Through MAWE, I am focused on encouraging sustainable entrepreneurship in women in the bid to make them self-reliant.

     We at MAWE in over 2 decades have left no stone unturned to provide opportunities to women entrepreneurs as we organized trade fairs, helped in networking, taught branding and computer classes and even made business cards for our women entrepreneurs. Women running micro-enterprises would come to us with the will to grow but held back by challenges from markets or even their families. The growth of our members inspired other women to come seeking business ideas. Over the years, MAWE has supported micro women entrepreneurs to be self-employed and have access to finance, technology and international markets.

In the ecosystem of women entrepreneurship, policy advocacy & more, I do feel proud that MAWE features, at all levels Nationally & Globally.

I have seen eyebrows being lifted when people see MAWEites from Tier 2 & 3 cities at prestigious events & our advice of policy-making being heard!!

Establishing & Leading MAWE for 24 years, when women did not know the meaning of an association in M.P. has been an enriching & fulfilling experience. My personal endeavour is to make women entrepreneurs contribute to the Indian Economy & GDP in a manner where they get noticed!!!