The Fairer Sex Entrepreneurs

Watching old Indian advertisements on Youtube is my favorite past time. Pepsi, Nirma, Rasna, Liril and many more. After watching ad for Lijjat Papad, I decided to write about contribution of women in entrepreneurial domain.



The Poppadum Queen
Jaswantiben Popat, the woman behind the enterprise that makes Lijjat Papad is no mediocre woman. Inspite of spearheading a mass movement for upliftment of uneducated, lower-middle class Indian woman, બા (pronounced as BAA , meaning - "MOTHER" in Gujarati language) as she is called still lives in her one bedroom apartment in chawls of mumbai. BAA started her papad rolling bussiness with a meagre loan of $2 in 1959. Today Lijjat Papad boasts a turnover of $65m. Although BAA hardly looks like a woman attending boardroom meetings, conference calls and leading cruical projects.



Lijjat Papad provides employment to more than 40000 Indian women coming mostly from impoverished and humble background. The cooperative business named Shri Mahila Gruha Udyog started by 7 women including Mrs Jashwantiben Popat is a symbol of strength and empowerment for women. Jashwantiben Popat was awarded the coveted Economic Times award for Corporate Excellence in September 2002. Popat was honored again by being named as the recipient of the Whirlpool Gr8! Women Awards 2004 in the "Social Services" category.

BAA is a Icon of woman empowerment. I personally believe that women are more powerful than men. Mrs. Jashwantiben Popat proves us that under circumstances where most men give in, women steps in and turns it around. More Info>>

The Media Queen
Oprah Gail Winfrey, (born January 29, 1954) is the American multiple-Emmy Award winning host of The Oprah Winfrey Show, the highest-rated talk show in the history of television. She is also an Academy Award-nominated actress, and a magazine publisher. She has been ranked the richest African American of the 20th century, the most philanthropic African American of all time, and the world's only black billionaire for three straight years. She is also, according to some assessments, the most influential woman in the world.



Oprah was born to unmarried parents in ghetto areas of Mississipi farm in USA. Oprah spent her first six years with her religious grand mother, in whose company she developed the love for literature and her routine of reciting Bible verses in front of public in a local church. This was the time when the seeds of her being a powerful talk show host was sown. Few years after that, when she lived with her not so supportive mother, were spent in great hardship where she was even repeatedly sexually abused and delivered a baby at age of fourteen who eventually died in infancy. Oprah eventually shifted with her father who was very strict and made her compulsorily study in school and college which turned out to be a real blessing for her. Oprah slowly started entering media industry, initially by working as news anchor for the local TV channel and then slowly entering talk shows where she became a co-host. Oprah soon became very popular and was hosting the best and highest rated Talk Show named "The Oprah Winfrey Show" . Oprah today owns a TV Studio, media magazine and online publication named HARPO (oprah wrote in reverse)

Oprah's story serves as a real inspiration where a woman oppressed with immense adversities fulfills her dream and not only reaches the pinnacle of success but also in turn gives back to society much more than what she actually received.

TiE has many woman members and volunteers. TiE encourages women to take an active part in entrepreneurial domain there by creating more jobs and contributing to the society. Readers wishing to know more about TiE please visit www.tie.org. TiE is hosting world's largest conference of entrepreneurs TiECon 2008 on 16th and 17th May. Please read more about TiECon 2008 at www.tiecon.org and register yourself