A graphic novel consisting of 20 real-life stories of women entrepreneurs from Her and Now, a project of German development organization GIZ India – was launched at Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi on Saturday, October 15, 2022. The Hindi version of the novel is titled ‘Mera Business, Meri Kahani’ was also launched.
Published by GIZ, co-published by Yoda Press and printed by Fortune Print Services, the stories are written and illustrated by Vishwajyoti Ghosh, Shrutika Mathur, And Loyalty Wadhera.
Julia Karst, speaking at the event, Head of Project Here and Now, GIZ India said, “The book is a celebration of India’s women entrepreneurs. This graphic anthology showcases the unique and diverse realities of women entrepreneurs across business sectors, sectors, ages and social groups. We hope that by highlighting the success stories of relevant role models, this book inspires a conversation about the role of women in the economy and encourages many younger women in the country to take up entrepreneurship!
The artists behind the book were also taking to the stage – Vishwajyoti Ghosh, the painter; Shrutika Mathur, writer; and Nishtha Wadhera, editor.
Viswajyothi, who is credited with the popular political graphic novel ‘Delhi Callum’, commented that working on the novel was a learning for him, and through this
experience the meaning of a “successful” business was thoroughly challenged. Was. “The kind of impact women entrepreneurs have had in creating jobs, training and livelihoods for other women in their field shows that the success of a business is not just about financial numbers, as we often believe. are,” he opined.
Tales of Patience and Courage from the Interior
The novel’s female entrepreneurs are primarily from Tier II and Tier III cities and rural areas in Northeast India, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Telangana. They all come from different business fields and have different backgrounds, and none of their problems are the same.
Although not all of the novel’s 20 female entrepreneurs were able to attend the event, five of them did. Ishu Shiva is the founder of Sanitary in Rajasthan; Shaka Selja is the founder of Rojas Industries in Telangana; Hemlata Mishra is the founder of MADnext Advertising in Rajasthan; Dilu Sharma is the founder of Oh My God (OMG) Zindagi in Sikkim; and Neerja Palisetti is the founder of Facilitator Creations in Rajasthan.
“I haven’t been recognized for 30 years, but I feel really inspired and happy to stand here and be a part of this launch. It is really a good platform for me and it will help me to encourage many women. I have supported and trained 30,000 students in my life so far, but I pledge here that next year I will support and inspire 20,000 more students and make a difference in their lives,” said Saka, a Dalit woman entrepreneur who Started a beauty school and eventually started training other women to run salons. In 2019, Saka began manufacturing beauty products under its own brand, Synnov.
Ishu Siva, a founding member of Sanitry, a social enterprise, said, “I still can’t believe I am standing here and holding a book that contains my story. It’s a tremendous feeling for me. My parents will be very proud of my achievements and this is the biggest success for me. Thank you for supporting us through this book and showing the world our stories, Project Her & Now. Sanitree is tackling period poverty, and working to end the stigma surrounding menstruation in rural Rajasthan.
Dilu Sharma, the founder of OMG Zindagi, a digital platform showcasing the young and up-and-coming talent of Northeast India, hopes that his story will inspire other Indian women to consider entrepreneurship as a viable career option. Dilu’s media platform, based in Gangtok, has established a sustainable revenue model and has over 17,000 YouTube subscribers and over 75,000 Facebook followers.
The book is currently available in select bookstores across the country and will be available on Amazon shortly.
