Pune: The Sakal Media Group’s recently launched Tanishka Women’s Dignity Foundation drew praise from a group of women entrepreneurs from the city on Saturday.

Twenty women entrepreneurs visited the Sakal Times office at Shivajinagar to attend their first, Tanishka Foundation meeting on Saturday.
Speaking on the topic: ‘Challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in the male-dominated world,’ the entrepreneurs shared personal stories of struggle and success with each other.

Pledging their support and solidarity for the Tanishka Foundation , the entrepreneurs who comprised architects, engineers, academicians, industrialists stressed on the need for good education and high aspiration as the basic criteria to empower women.
Chairperson and managing director of Murli Krishna Pharma, Satya Vadlamani spoke extensively about her experiences and how entrepreneurship was not about men or women.

“It is about walking an unchartered course, much like deep-sea diving but without the oxygen. If you go down, there can be no point of return, but if you manage to rise up, there is no looking back,” Vadlamani said.

CEO, Get Through Guides (GTG) Vandana Saxena Poria, said, “To feel empowered and succeed, you need to build respect and believe that you can do it. We need more women in the boardroom. I really feel that Sakal’s Tanishka initiative is very holistic.”

Executive director, Saj Test Plant, Rujuta Jagtap, CEO Purplechai Technologies, Vaishali Sharma and President, Indira Gandhi Women’s Cooperative Sugar Factory, Vijaymala Desai also shared their views.

Speaking about her experience, Desai said that the state government’s policy on women of 1994 had inspired her to start a sugar factory to provide employment to rural women.

Desai said, “Women must be strong and brave. They must focus on goals and not get bogged down by criticism. Make sure you are a ‘master’ in your subject. Also be happy with what you have achieved and feel happy for other women too.”