Women Accelerating Satara’s Entrepreneurial Spirit

A husband-and-wife duo manages the load of products displayed on the counter of the stall while passersby keep the surroundings bustling. One of the stalls here at Mandeshi Mahotsav represents the Shree Ghatai Devi Women's Group from Maharashtra’s Satara, one of the self-help groups in the district that has embraced entrepreneurship.

Popular for its waterfalls and various natural sites, Satara has also gained attention for its entrepreneurship scene. In 2015, the World Economic Forum (WEF) included Satara-based entrepreneur Chetna Sinha in a list of 15 women who have "changed the world" for her work in the social sector. The district is witnessing a surge in female entrepreneurship, with most women working from home—a fair glimpse of which was visible at the Mahotsav organised in the Parel area of Mumbai.

Run by 13 women from Satara, the Shree Ghatai Devi Women's Group is a self-help group that produces handmade Shevai in several flavours. One of these women, Surekha Shedage, who came with her husband to sell the products, talks about how their business depends on their travels. "People here in Mumbai are asking for rice Shevai, so after we go back, we (all the women) will work on another variety," she says, adding that currently, the women sell 14 varieties.

The business for these women, however, is not as easy as it seems. "We have to find people to carry the loads when we travel to exhibit our products," says Shedage's husband, who accompanied his wife for her business this time. The duo mentioned that they always have good earnings from Mumbai. On the contrary, Shedage shares, "Sometimes, we do not make money even after incurring the transportation costs, but we do not let ourselves down," keeping a smile on her face.

Just like Surekha Shedage, Aruna Laadkar has also been putting her best efforts into making her business run. Now with two shops selling traditional sweets from Satara, her challenges are fewer as her family also supports her. She maintains that her sons and her husband also help her out, as one of them also accompanied her to this stall in Mumbai. Back in her town, she is growing exponentially by offering sweet delicacies that are authentic to Satara's cuisine rather than just being "fancy." "During the Ganpati festival, I even earn as much as Rs. 5 lakh in just 8 days," boasts Laadkar with an ear-to-ear smile on her face.

Stumbling upon Shivalay Swayam Sahayata Mahila Bachat Gat, we see two young mute and deaf women creating jewellery pieces, while the owner of this initiative, Vidya Kaskar, is busy selling the pieces made by five such women. This business has been running for 10 years now, and for the past five years, these women have been working with the organisation to earn a livelihood. “I aim to include more such girls as I want to help them with their finances,” Kaskar says, adding that she works with the women out of her own home and may open a shop once the business does better.

While some of the women in Satara’s self-help groups could spare some time to talk about their lives and businesses, many others were already dealing with multiple customers at their stalls and seemed to have no time to reflect on how far they had come. One such stall was owned by Reshma Aslam Tamboli, at her ‘Churmure Futaane Stall’, and another by Aswini Prithaviraj Lad, who makes traditional candies with other women in her hometown.

Having come from several towns in Satara, a few women have been recognised for their efforts, business ideas, and initiatives to support other women by the Mandeshi Foundation, which works for the economic empowerment of rural women. Kalpana Nilesh Mali is one of them. She stands with a collection of cold-pressed oils, and behind her are large banners showcasing her awards from a regional television show. Starting operations in 2019 from Dahiwadi, the raw ingredients for the products are sourced from local communities and their organic land. Mali says, “We have been appreciated for our efforts and the collective of women who produce the organic oils.”

Indian women make up 14% of entrepreneurs and oversee 20% of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Maharashtra alone has the highest percentage of women-owned MSMEs in India. Undoubtedly, Satara is one of the leading contributors, with its growing entrepreneurial ventures led by women.