The Most Influential Women To Watch In 2022

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From Editor’s Desk

Diversityandgenderparityinleadershipanddecision-makingarerecognisedmoreandmoreinallspheresofsociety becausewomenarepowerfulchangeagents.Inpolitics,business,andsocietyasawhole,womencontinuetomakeupa verysmallportionofdecision-makers.

Alongwithcallsforgreatergenderequality,theneedtoreducethepaygapbetweenmenandwomenhasdrawnmoreattention lately.Evenwhiletherehasbeensignificantprogressinthisarea,therearestillfartoofewwomeninleadershiproles.Women haveovercometheirchallengestobecomestrongleaders.

FeaturingforTheEnterpriseWorld'sthisissueof TheMostInfluentialWomentoWatchin2022arethestoriesofsuch successfulbusinessesthathavemadeitthrougheveryoddstormandmadeittothetop.

FortheCoverStoryreadaboutPriyaPrakash:PriyaPrakashsetoutonamissiontocorrectthisandthusCo-foundedEcoPallet,astart-upthatfocusedon manufacturinglightweightyethigh-strengthandenvironmentallyfriendlypallets.WithabackgroundincommerceandanMBA 'ontheroads',Priyaissetoutonamissiontobringaboutarevolutionarychangeinthepalletindustry.Priya'sprevious experiencesincludeworkingforvariouscompaniesthatcreatedinnovativeandfuturisticproducts.

WithEcoPallet,Priya'saimistomakethemanufacturingandthesupplychainindustryunderstandtheimportanceandadvantage ofsustainablepallets.

MeeraSatpathy:ThejourneyofstartingSukaryahasbeenoneofthemostlife-changingyetchallengingjourneysforMeera.It isherjourneywhereshegraduatedfrombeingawifeandmotherofthreechildrentorunninganadvertisingagencyinherearly fortiesforalmost15years.

Bythattime,shewasrunningtwodifferentkindsoforganizations,oneprofit,andanotheranon-profit.ButMeera'sgreater callingandherheartwereinservingtheneedy.

MonicaChikhani:Istartedmyentrepreneurialjourneyin1996,takingasmallofficeinmyDad'sfirm.Ihadzerocapital,but thisdidnotstopmefromventuringintowhatIknewwasmycalling.Today,26yearssinceIfoundedMEC,Ilookbackatallthe setbacksIovercametogettowhereIamtoday.IkeptonbelievinginMEC'svisionandpushedveryhardtokeepperseveringin whatIbelievedthroughgrowingmyskillstobeabletoaddvalueandsolutionstoeverychallengeMECWorkshopfaced.

Youalwaysfoundmeleadingtheteamineverychallengetoshowthemitcanbedonewhenyouhavetherightmindsetand dedication.Withthismentoringtechnique,Iraisedasolidteamwithstrongbondsthatnoheavytidecouldbreakapart.Myrecipe forsuccessisSkill+action+belief=100success.

RunamMehta:Myprofessionaljourneyhasbeenquiteatypical;IamaPhysiotherapistbyeducationandabusinesspersonby profession.IdidmyBachelorofPhysiotherapy,fromSanchetiInstitute.Inmy20s,IfoundedasuccessfulcompanycalledWork Ergonomicstospreadawarenessaboutposturalproblemsandrepetitivestraininjuries.AftermovingtoBangalore,Irealizedthat Physiosweregrosslyunderpaidandthereforeunder-appreciatedandstartedexploringwaystodisruptthemarket.Duringthat time,IcameacrossPortea.PorteawaslookingtoorganizethedisorganizedhomecaremarketandhiredmetobuildtheirPhysio business.Duringmy7yearstintatPortea-Ihelpedtheorganizationgrowfromstrengthtostrengthwhileaddingsubstantiallyto myownskills.IjoinedHealthCubetoheadgrowth18monthsagoandforalmostayearnow,Ihavebeenleadingthe organizationasCEO.

Shalmali W.

Leaders in Spotlight

FortheCoverStoryreadaboutPriyaPrakash:PriyaPrakashsetoutona missiontocorrectthisandthusCofoundedEcoPallet,astart-upthatfocused onmanufacturinglightweightyethighstrengthandenvironmentallyfriendly pallets.Withabackgroundincommerce andanMBA'ontheroads',Priyaissetout onamissiontobringaboutarevolutionary changeinthepalletindustry.Priya's previousexperiencesincludeworkingfor variouscompaniesthatcreatedinnovative andfuturisticproducts.

WithEcoPallet,Priya'saimistomakethe manufacturingandthesupplychain industryunderstandtheimportanceand advantageofsustainablepallets.

MeeraSatpathy:Thejourneyofstarting Sukaryahasbeenoneofthemostlifechangingyetchallengingjourneysfor Meera.Itisherjourneywhereshe graduatedfrombeingawifeandmotherof threechildrentorunninganadvertising agencyinherearlyfortiesforalmost15 years.

Bythattime,shewasrunningtwo differentkindsoforganizations,oneprofit, andanotheranon-profit.ButMeera's greatercallingandherheartwerein servingtheneedy.

WithSukarya,Meeraisheretoinspire people,especiallywomenandchildren, whoareunawareandlackinformation.It isveryinspiringtohearwhatPrime MinisterModisaidinhisnationaladdress onthe76thIndependenceDay–“Thenext 25yearsisgoingtobethegoldenerafor “NariShakti”(womenempowerment).

MonicaChikhani:Istartedmy entrepreneurialjourneyin1996,takinga smallofficeinmyDad'sfirm.Ihadzero

capital,butthisdidnotstopmefrom venturingintowhatIknewwasmy calling.Today,26yearssinceIfounded MEC,IlookbackatallthesetbacksI overcametogettowhereIamtoday.I keptonbelievinginMEC'svisionand pushedveryhardtokeepperseveringin whatIbelievedthroughgrowingmyskills tobeabletoaddvalueandsolutionsto everychallengeMECWorkshopfaced.

Youalwaysfoundmeleadingtheteamin everychallengetoshowthemitcanbe donewhenyouhavetherightmindsetand dedication.Withthismentoringtechnique, Iraisedasolidteamwithstrongbondsthat noheavytidecouldbreakapart.Myrecipe forsuccessisSkill+action+belief=100 success.

RunamMehta:Myprofessionaljourney hasbeenquiteatypical;Iama Physiotherapistbyeducationanda businesspersonbyprofession.Ididmy BachelorofPhysiotherapy,fromSancheti Institute.Inmy20s,Ifoundedasuccessful companycalledWorkErgonomicsto spreadawarenessaboutposturalproblems andrepetitivestraininjuries.Aftermoving toBangalore,IrealizedthatPhysioswere grosslyunderpaidandthereforeunderappreciatedandstartedexploringwaysto disruptthemarket.Duringthattime,I cameacrossPortea.Porteawaslookingto organizethedisorganizedhomecare marketandhiredmetobuildtheirPhysio business.Duringmy7yearstintatPorteaIhelpedtheorganizationgrowfrom strengthtostrengthwhileadding substantiallytomyownskills.Ijoined HealthCubetoheadgrowth18monthsago andforalmostayearnow,Ihavebeen leadingtheorganizationasCEO.

T H E P A L L E T Q U E E N

Pallet Priya Prakash

Founder&ManagingDirector, EcoPalletPvtLtd

“Our Pallets come with the ability to resist impact, have abrasion resistance, oil & chemical resistance, and are shock absorbent as well.”

Whatisapallet?Apartfrombeing oneofthemostimportantaspectsof severalindustries,let'sfirstbreakit downinlayman'sterms.Thinkof thesepalletsliketiresonyourcar. Theprimaryfunctionofthetiresisto makeupforasmoothride.Similarly, thepalletsarethepointofcontactfor shipmentsandtheothermany transportationmodesconstitutingthe globalsupplychain.

Intheglobalindustrialsupplychain, theexistenceofpalletsisasgoodas invisible,butnothingcanmove forwardwithoutthem.Justlikehowa carwon'trunwithouttires!

Thesepalletsformsomeofthemost basicandthemostprimaryinterface fortheunitload.Theykeepthe

productsafe,actasshockabsorbers, takeinthestresses,theyholdthe weight,protectthegoodsmoving forwardinthesupplychain,and muchmore.Consideringallthatthey havetodo,thequalityofpalletshasa hugeimpactontheoutcomeofa shipment.

Now,whatifthesepalletswereecofriendlyyeteffective?

FeaturingforTheEnterpriseWorld's thisissueofTheMostInfluential WomenToWatchIn2022isPriya Prakash,theQueenofpallets, innovatingaproductthatiseffective.

WPriyaPrakash-LeadingtheWay-

Foryears,palletshavebeenthe neglected'backbone'oftheentire logisticsindustry.Palletsareoften madeoutofPinewood,aftertheuse ofwhichmostofthemendupin landfills.Onlyafewpalletscanbe reused.

Thiswasamajorpainpointofthe entireprocess.Priyaidentifiedthe scatteredandunorganizedstructureof thewaymostmanufacturerswork.

“It was unsustainable and caused a lot of harm to the environment.”

Priyasetoutonamissiontocorrect thisandthusCo-foundedEcoPallet,a start-upthatfocusedon manufacturinglightweightyethighstrengthandenvironmentallyfriendly pallets.

Withabackgroundincommerceand anMBA'ontheroads',Priyaisset outonamissiontobringabouta revolutionarychangeinthepallet industry.Priya'spreviousexperiences includeworkingforvarious companiesthatcreatedinnovative andfuturisticproducts.

“Theverychallengeandthesatisfactionof changingamindsetwasoneofthemain motivationsfordevelopingEcoPallet.”

WithEcoPallet,Priya'saimisto makethemanufacturingandthe supplychainindustryunderstandthe importanceandadvantageof sustainablepallets.

“Although Eco Pallet has been in the market for six years so far, we still consider ourselves as a start-up as we decided to develop our own product.”

BeingtheMDismerelyatitleandthe beautyinasmallorganizationisthat everyonedonsmultiplehatsandgets tolearnalot.

ThishashelpedgarnerPriya's immenseexperienceandexposurein IP,NewProduct Development/Establishment, Certifications/Licensing,Handling ROCrequirements,Developing Machinesforanewproduct, InstallationofMachines,andsoon.

“Asabusinessleaderchallengesarea partofourdailylivesandIthriveon them.Personally,Idoathread-bare analysisofmychallengesandthen facethemmethodically.”,saysPriya

TheJourneyofEcoPallet Incorporatedin2015,EcoPallet makessustainable,eco-friendly, certified,andPatentedpallets.They arepatentedmanufacturersofEPS,a HybridcombinationofwoodandEPS andallvarietiesofwoodspraypallets inIndia.Thesepalletsarecompletely safe,extremelylightweight,costeffective,andcanbecustomized. TheyarealsoFDA/Medical certifiable.

ToensuresafetyEcoPalletsareflame resistant,waterresistant,bug& mildewresistant,andtemperature& thermalresistant.Theirzeroexposure tonailsandsplinters,andanti-static andhermeticallysealed(ISPM

complaint)propertiesmakeEco Palletsunique.

EcoPalletsensurehygiene,areantifungalandhaveincreasedweightbearingcapacity ThesePalletsare recyclableandrepairable,making themtherightchoiceforasustainable future.

EcoPalletisEnvironmentally Compliant.Theycontainnofood

sourcesorthenaturalhabitatfor anyinsects.Thefullyjacketed coatingusedbyEcoPalletalsohas nocracks,crevices,ornesting areasforinsectsandisfully washable.

OvercomingtheChallenges“Palletsarethebackboneof logistics.Icanrecountnumerous instanceswherepalletshavekilled

logisticsandthebusiness.”,says Priya

Whiletryingtosellthepallets, Priyaunderstoodthetrue underlyingenvironmentally sustainableproblems,whichwere andaretotallyignoredbyevery corporateusingpallets.Companies 'want'or'have'decidedtobe penny-wiseTODAY.

EcoPallet'sfirstpalletwasa combinationofEPSandHIPS. Thougheverycorporate understoodtheimportanceof lightweightpallets,fuelsaving, andsoon,breakingthemisnomer ofEPSbeingahazardousproduct wasthefirstchallenge.

TheProductsandServicesEcoPallet,istheonlycompany todayinthisentireworldthat makessustainablepallets,which arealsocost-effectivealongwitha multitudeofadvantages.Eco Palletsavesall40palletsby sprayingandsealingthelifeofthe pallet.

EcoPalletalsohaspalletsthatare notmadefromwoodandcanbe recycledtothefullestevenifit'sa one-timeusepallet.EcoPallet alonehastheabilitytoletthe countriesrotatethepalletswith othercountriestoday.OurWooden SprayPalletsaremadeofPostConsumerRecycledwood(Scrap) andSpray,resultinginusageof discardedwoodasoneofthe primaryrawmaterialsthusmaking EcoPallettheEconomicaland EcologicalPalletever..

“Ourpalletistheonlysolutionto endtheone-timeusageproblem.”, saysPriya.

WhattheFutureHolds-

“Iwouldconsideritasmy personalmilestoneachievementif theGovernmentofIndiadecidesto turnalltheirwoodenpalletsinto EcoPalletswithoutscrapping themandgivingusanopportunity todoourmagicontheoldpallets. Iwouldloveourcountry'sproduce tobestoredsafelyonasustainable andhygienicEcoPallet.”,says Priya.

Forthepastsixyears,Priya'sfocus hasonlybeenonEcoPallet.She believesthatknowledgeispower, andbeinginformedhelpsyoubea stepaheadofthecompetition. Beingavoraciousreader,Priya thrivesonResearchGate, continuallyresearchingwaysto innovateproducts.

“In our case fortunately we are the 'Change-Makers'.”

Priya'sMessagetotheNew Entrepreneurs-

“Successissubjective.Ihavebeen blessedwithanamazingfamily wheremyparentsnevertreatedme ormytwosistersdifferently,as muchastheworldaroundus remindedusthatwewerewomen.

IammarriedtoaFighterPilot fromtheIAFwhohassacrificed hiscareerof20yearstosupport merealizemydreams.My daughterunderstandsmylovefor mywork.Toallthewomenand girlsoutthere,don'tmakeorlet anyonemakeyoufeelguiltyfor lovingyourjob.Focus,be consistent,anddon'tgiveup.”

“This way we save cutting of more trees, apart from the unique ability to save a scrap pallet and give it an extended lease of life.”

MEERA S

STRIVING FORABETTER SOCIETY

Meera Satpathy Founder & Chairperson

MEERA S MEERA S MEERA S MEERA S MEERA S

“I am a committed social change maker and I believe in what I do that includes empathy, sensitivity, and creativity to mobilize grassroots people as leader of their communities.”

ATPATHY

Inthedecadestofollow,women

havetimeandagainprovedwhy theirdecisionmattersthemostin theboardroom.Beitleadingagreat companytogreaterheights,oreventhe smalleststepasstartingasmall companyandmakingitbiginthe market;womeneverywherehave proventobeabeacontoallthosegirls outtheredreamingofstartinga business,ofaskingforwhatthey deserveandsimplybeingthe ambitiousselves.

FeaturingfortheCoverStoryofThe EnterpriseWorld'sthisissueofThe MostInfluentialWomentoWatchin 2022isMeeraSatpathy,avisionaryon apathtochangethereality

TheLeader,theExcelsior-

Theentrepreneursinthesocialsector mustplaytheroleofchangeagentsby adoptingamissiontocreateand sustainsocialvalueforthegreater goodofsociety,recognizingand relentlesslypursuingnewopportunities toservethatmission,engaging themselvesandtherightkindofpeople intheprocessofcontinuous innovation,adaptation,andlearning, actingboldlywithoutbeinglimitedby resourcescurrentlyinhand,and exhibitingaheightenedsenseof accountabilitytotheconstituencies servedandfortheoutcomescreated.

Entrepreneursinthesocialsectormust pursuesocialinterventionsandnovel applicationsthathavethepotentialto solvecommunity-basedproblems. Theymusttakerisksandputeffortinto creatingpositivesocietalchanges throughtheirinitiatives.Theymust believethatthispracticeisawayto connecttheirlife'spurpose,helpothers findtheirs,andmakeadifferencein theworld(allwhileekingoutaliving).

Theyareinbusinessforthegreater

socialgoodandnotjustthepursuitof profits.Theymustseektoproduce environmentallyfriendlyproducts, serveanunderservedcommunity,or focusonphilanthropicactivities.Yet, theymuststillbefinanciallysavvyto succeedintheircause.Forthis,they mustbewellversedinmakingtough decisionsinlifethatneedcourage.

HowMeerachangedSukarya-

ThejourneyofstartingSukaryahas beenoneofthemostlife-changingyet challengingjourneysforMeera.Itis herjourneywhereshegraduatedfrom beingawifeandmotherofthree childrentorunninganadvertising agencyinherearlyfortiesforalmost 15years.

Bythattime,shewasrunningtwo differentkindsoforganizations,one

fortheprofit,andotheranon-profit. ButMeera'sgreatercallingandher heartwasinservingtheneedy

Sukaryawasborntoimprove maternal-childhealthandnutrition withaspecialemphasisonanemiaand malnutrition,reduceIMR[infant mortalityrate]),Genderequality/ Empoweringwomenasperthe MillenniumgoalssetbytheUN reflectingthemostpressingissues prevalentinoursocietythenandeven now

Meeraalwaysbelievedthatproblems couldnotbeseeninisolationasall developmentissuesareclosely interconnected.Thatiswhymostof Sukarya'sinterventionsaredesigned multi-prongedandintegrated.

Shefeelsthatdevelopmentand desirableresultscannotbeachieved alone.Everybodymustplayacrucial role--government,civilsocieties, communitystakeholders,andother influentialpersons.Itrequiresa collaborativeapproachandcollective effortstoyieldmoresignificantresults.

Overtheyears,Sukaryahassetthe paceasadevelopmentalorganization advancingthecauseofunderprivileged women,children,andadolescentgirls, morethansixmillionofthemsofarin 600plusvillagesandabout120slums, eliminatingbarriershinderingtheir social-economicprogressandenabling themtoliveabetter,healthier,and successfullife.

TheFoundingStonesofSukarya-

EvenAfter75yearsoffreedom, womenandgirlchildrenarenottreated equallyinIndia.Women'shealthand educationarenotofpriorityforthe policymakers,business,community, andelectedleaders.Womenincities, peri-urbanareas,andvillagesstruggle

“The journey of Sukarya has taught me what a social entrepreneur is, and what power one holds to change the minds of many.”

dailytolivetheirlivesunderdomestic violence,sexualabuse,illhealth, forcedmarriages,andnoincome.So, citizens,authorities,andwomenmust considertheirsituationsseriously

Talkingaboutwomen'sempowerment iseasyinboardroomsandpolicymakingsessions.Butimplementingit atthegrassrootslevelefficientlyand effectivelywithaccountabilityisa differentballgame.

Non-profitslikeSukaryashouldjoin handswiththegovernment,otherCSR donors,andfundingagenciesto provideastructuralandeffective actionplantobattle,preventand controlanaemia,ensureANCandPNC care,andpreventmaternalmorbidity, andinfantmortality,andmalnutrition.

However,behaviouralchanges,socialculturalfoodhabits,andacceptance andunderstandingoflow-cost nutritiousmealsarefewknowntipsto fightmalnutrition.

Therehastobeacontinuouspublic healthplantotacklepandemicslike Covid.Therealsomustbeastrong realizationthatCOVID-19has compoundedmanifoldthenutritionrelatedchallengesbutgivingupatthis criticaljunctureisnotanoption.

Ifwomen,especiallythosepregnant andchildrenbetween5-60months, needednutritioninterventionsbefore COVID-19,theyneeditmuchmore nowthanever.Forchildren'sfuturein India,stoppingCOVID-19and stoppingmalnutritionareequally

importantandurgent.

ChangingtheParadigms,OneStep ataTime-

WithSukarya,Meeraisheretoinspire people,especiallywomenandchildren, whoareunawareandlackinformation.

ItisveryinspiringtohearwhatPrime MinisterModisaidinhisnational addressonthe76thIndependenceDay -"Thenext25yearsisgoingtobethe goldenerafor"NariShakti"(women empowerment).

Sukarya,awoman-led,women-centric, andwomen-focusedorganization,has beenastrongadvocateofwomen's empowermentsince1998.Theteam placesthematthecentreofthe developmentcurve,equippingthem

witheducation,lifeskills,training,and careeropportunities.Sukaryaworks withwomenattheindividual/group leveltobuildtheirself-esteemand self-worth.That'showtheyhavestood byourcommunities,whichmost impactfullycameintoplayduringthe COVID-19pandemic.

Achangecanbeginanywhereandcan impactmany.Nonethelesstheytryall thetimetoreachouttovariousdonors, agencies,andauthoritiestoevokethe spiritofgenerosityfortheneedy

ChallengingtheChallenges-

itsdirectandhumanapproachtosocial service.Thisisfurtherunderlinedby itscommittedsystemanditsbeliefin focusingonwhat'sessentialtogive backtosociety

Thereweremanyfailuresalongthe way.Neitherhasitbeeneasytowork inthischallengingterraintoshow resultsandimprovetheconditionsnor hasiteverbeeneasytorunthe organizationfull-fledgedwithlessor nofunds.YetMeerafoundherway throughhope.

Initially,thechallengeswere: Underminingourintegrity Ÿ Notbeingabletogetaqualified Ÿ workforce.

Thesociety'snon-acceptanceof Ÿ NGOsasaseriousprofession.

Nodonationapproachinour Ÿ community.

Lackofconsistentresourcesand Ÿ funds.

Weliveinanagewhencharityhas becomeabusiness,andNGOshave beenpubliclyquestionedontheir integrity.Yet,Sukaryastandsalonein

AlongwiththeNationalFamilyHealth Survey4(NFHS4)report,the governmentannounced'Poshan Abhiyaan",thenutritionpolicy Asa result,Sukarya'snutritionprograms haveundergonetremendousgrowth, witnessingincreasedawareness, acclaim,anddemandforitsprograms inIndiaandgloballyforfillingthe healthandgendergapamong marginalizedcommunities.

BecauseofSukarya'sconsistenteffort andoutcome,theyareatthispivotal momentfortheorganization.Sukarya alongwithSukaryaUSAandother empatheticvolunteersfromMicrosoft, SalesforceandT-Mobilehaveworked

Furthermore,thesamewillbean integralpartofthisnextphaseof Sukarya.With57%ofthetotalwomen populationbeinganaemic,40%of adolescentgirls,and67%ofchildren between0-5years,itisahugetask ahead.

BuildingtheTrust,GrowingAhead-

Sukarya’smostvaluableassetsare:

closelywithlocalbusinessesand corporations.Thiswasparticularlytrue duringCOVID. Sincereandhardworking Ÿ volunteers,

Acommittedandfocused Ÿ leadership

Compliancewiththegovernment Ÿ policyandprograms

Teamsofprofessionalworkers Ÿ formthesocialdevelopment sector,and

Asaresult,theycouldgofrom strengthtostrengthwhileatthesame timeexpandingtheiroutreachtomore significantcommunitiesfighting anaemiaandmalnutrition. TrustfromtheCommunities Ÿ

Theexperienceofbringingtogether supporters,stakeholders,donors,and governmentagenciescreatessynergies beyondboundaries,enablingthe organizationtoimplementandexecute programsandlookforpositive impacts.

“I am proud to say today that not only new supporters are reaching out to us as partners, but researchers and experts are also proposing to work on our methodology of implementation.”

Sukaryahashavebeenenablingtensof thousandsofwomenandadolescent girlsinthevillagesandslumstomake theirowndecisionsandactionsfor theirhealth,nutrition,economic freedomaswellastheirchildren's health,education,andwell-being.

Sukarya’sMCHNprogramaimsto improvethematernalandchildhealth (MCH)statusofmothersandinfants, reduceinfantmortalityrate(IMR)and morbidityamongstchildrenand mothersandimprovetheoverall knowledge,attitude,andpractice (KAP)ofcommunitiestostrengthen ourcountry

Thefirstgeneralhealthcampsinand aroundtheslumsofDelhiandGurgaon werefundedandsupportedbylikemindedindividualdonorssince1998. Today,Sukaryaisknownforitsworks

TappingintoMaternal-ChildHealth andNutritionwithSukaryaonurbanslumhealthaction Ÿ programinDelhiandGurugram,

“We had begun this humble journey of 24 years with a few handfuls of volunteers and supporters. It was not at all easy.”

AStep

ruralcommunityhealthaction Ÿ programinHaryanaand Rajasthan,

knowledge-basedinterventionfor Ÿ reproductivehealthadvocacyand action,aninterventionstudy amongadolescents,pregnantand lactatingmotherstoreducethe prevalenceofanemia(a contributoryfactorofmaternal morbidity&mortality),

educationonwheelsforslum Ÿ children,

genderequalityprogramfor Ÿ adolescentgirls,and theempowermentofruralwomen Ÿ throughSelfHelpGroups(SHGs) andentrepreneurshipbuilding.

Ahead-

Tomaketheprogramssustainableand tosupportdecentralizeddevelopment, Sukaryaworkscloselywith governmentofficials,governmentappointedsocialworkers,religiousand communityleaders,villageelders, women,andmenatthegrassroots level.Alltheirdevelopmental strategiesarebasedontheneedofthe communitiestheyserve.

“Currently, I have two things in mind: first, to have a developmental plan, and the other is to make our programs sustainable while reaching out to more marginalized communities.”

thegrowingneedtodealwith troublesomehealthconditionsof

With

“Sukarya treats food and nutrition as the most powerful tool to fight malnutrition conditions in women and children.”

womenandchildren,Meera's

priorityistohavetrainedand dedicatedworkers.Itmustfightto reducethepercentageofaffected anemicmothersandchildrenand empowereachadolescentgirlfor theireducationandeconomic independence.

Meeraintendstoprepareanissuebasedstrategytoaddressanemiaand malnutritionformothersandchildren andgiveequalimportancetogender equalityinthecomingyears.Andthat requiresthehelpoftechnicalexpertsof ourcountryandifneedbefromother countriesaswell,whocanalsohelp monitortheprogress.

Thereisaneedofsupportfromthe

governmentatvariouslevelsto providemorerigoroustrainingtothe beneficiariesinthedeprivedareasto pushgovernments'existingschemes forward.Additionally,theteamshould continuewithanobjectiveof responsiblesocialdevelopmental behaviour.

“I

lookintovariousbarriersand roadblocks

approaching philanthropicorganizationsand developaneffectivecommunication plantoraisefunds.Thiswillenableus tohirequalified,experiencedstafffor digitalization.Allsaidanddone,Idon't wanttosetaspecificmilestone becauseitiseasiertosayso.Yet,I havemilestogobeforeIgivewomen andchildrentheirbasicrightofhealth

must

in

“My biggest tool is to have faith in myself to do what I do.”

जयपर

Rajasthan The Heart o f

RajasthanthelargeststateinIndia.Formerly

Rajasthancomesfirstnthetermsofart cultureandtourismduetoitsrichcultural aspectspopularallovertheglobe.Jaipur,the capitalandhugemetropolisoftheIndianstateof Rajasthan.Asof2011,thecityhadapopulationof 3.1million,makingitthetenthmostcrowdedcity inthecountry.Jaipurisreferredasthe Pink City,of Indiaduetothesupremecolourschemeofits uniquestructuralbuildings.Theformerscientistof IndiaDrC.VRamancalledJaipurasGloryof India.JaipuralsoknownasParisofIndiaduetoits uniquestructureaswellasrichculture.Jaipurwas establishedin1727bytheKachhwahaRajputruler JaiSinghII,therulerofAmer,afterwhomthecity isnamed.Itwasoneoftheultimatelyorganized citiesofmodernIndia,plottedbyVidyadhar Bhattacharya.DuringtheBritishColonialperiod, themetropolisbroughtinserviceasthecapitalof JaipurState.Afterindependencein1947,Jaipur wasmadethecapitalofthenewlyestablishedstate ofRajasthan.AccordingtoUNESCOJaipurwas th addedintheWorldHeritageSiteon6 July2019. ThecityisalsohometotheUNESCOWorld HeritageSitesAmerFortandJantarMantar

LearningtheinternalfactorsofJaipur isjustlikelearningIndianculture deeply Themetropolisdepictsmany suchaspectsofancientIndiaandthe rulersofthesameperiod.Withthe sameancientmonumentsofJaipur capturestheheartofeverytouristor travelerwithitsimmensebeautyand royalgesture.Exploringthe metropolisisafactorofpridetoevery Indiancitizenasthestateyetconsists manyunrevealedfactsaboutthe ancienttimes.

Let'straveltoJaipurwithknowing amazingfactsaboutthemetropolis anditscultureHistoryandHeritage.

GeographicalImportance

Jaipur,thecapitalmetropolisofthe IndianstateofRajasthanislocatedin

theeasternborderofTharDesert,a semi-dryland.Thisstateisoneofthe biggestofthecountrywhichsharesthe internationalboundarywithPakistan onthewesternside.Itissituatedatan elevationof1417feetabovethesea level.Onthreesides,thecityis surroundedbytheAravallihillsand thisiswhy,itisprotectedfromthe scratchydesert.Inthenorth,itis enclosedbySikarandMahendragarh district;inthesouthbyTonk;inthe eastbyAlwar,DausaandSawai Madhopur;andinthewestbyNagaur andAjmerdistrict.

ThetotallengthofJaipurexpanding fromeasttowestisabout180km whereasthewidthfromnorthtosouth isabout110km.Themajorrivers passingthroughtheJaipurare BangangaandSabi.About28.65

millioncubicmetergroundwater resourcesareaccessibleinJaipur.To providethedrinkingwatertotheold city,thereisRamgarhdamonthe RiverBanGanga.Mineralslike Copper,Iron,Dolomite,Whitemarble, GlassandSiliconaretheprominent mineralsfoundinthemetropolis. SambharLake,whichistheonly naturallakewithsaltywaterisalsothe prominentsourceofbeststandardof saltinthestateaswellascountry,is veryclosetoJaipur

SomeAncientaspectsoftheCity

KingofAmber,MaharajaSawaiJai SinghIIestablishedthecityofJaipur on18 November1727.Dueto th scarcityofwaterandgrowing populationMaharajashiftedhiscapital fromAmbertoJaipur.MaharajaJai

Singhconsulteddivergentbookson architectureandarchitectswhile designingthelayoutofJaipur.Under thearchitecturalguidanceofVidyadhar Bhattacharya,Jaipurwasdesigned basedonthepostulatesofVastu ShastraandShilpaShastra.Much creditforbuildingJaipurgoesto VidyadharBhattacharyawhobuiltthe citywithmoreaffectionandlove portrayingIndiancultureinevery buildingoftheMetropolis.The erectionofthecitybeganin1726and approximatelytookfouryearsto completethemajorroads,offices,and palaces.Themetropoliswasdivided intonineblocks,twoofwhich consistedthestateroyalbuildingsand palaces,withtheremainingseven allottedtothepublic.Hugeparapet wasbuilt,perforatedbysevenfortified gates.

AswiththeMughals,Jaipur maintainedgoodrelationswiththe Britishandduringthewarof independencein1857remainedloyal totheraj.Yet,theBritishersgradually begantoerodedtheindependenceof thestateandemployedgreater dominanceoverthemanagement.In 1876,MaharajaRamSinghdid

somethingthatgrossedJaipuritsalias. DuringthereignofSawaiRamSingh, hepaintedtheentirecitypink.Aspink istraditionallyacolourassociatedwith hospitality,towelcometheprinceof WalesAlbertEdwardtothecity The traditionhasbeenpreservedandtoday allcitizensintheoldcityareurgedby lawtopreservethepinkcolour

Inthe19thcentury,thecityexpanded rapidlyandby1900ithadapopulation of160,000.Thewideavenuewas coveredanditschiefindustrieswere theworkingofmetalsandmarble, promotedbyaschoolofartfoundedin 1868.Thecityhadthreecolleges, includingaSanskritcollegeestablished in1865andagirls'schoolestablished in1867openedduringthereignofthe MaharajaRamSinghII.After independence,Jaipurincorporatedwith thestatesofJodhpur,Jaisalmerand Bikanertobecomethegreater Rajasthanunion.

RichHeritage&Culturalfactsof Jaipur

th In2019on6 JulyJaipurwaslistedas WorldHeritageSitebyUNESCO. MajorsitesofthemwereAmerFort andJantarMantar.Jaipurownsmany

culturalsiteslikeJawaharKala

RavindraManch.Government CentralMuseumdenotesvariousarts andantiquities.Thereisagovernment museumatHawaMahalandanart galleryatViratnagar Therearestatues representingRajasthaniculturearound thecity Thecityisatypicalamong pre-modernIndiancitiesinthe harmonyofitsstreets,andthedivision ofthecityintosixsectorsbybroad streets.Theurbanquartersarefurther dividedbynetworksofreticular streets.ThePalacequarterencompass theHawaMahalpalacecomplex, formalgardens,andasmalllake. NahargarhFort,whichwasthe residenceoftheKingSawaiJaiSingh II,crownsthehillinthenorthwest corneroftheoldcity.Therearethree maingatesfacingeast,west,andnorth. Theeasterngateiscalled Suraj pol whichmeanssungateandisdedicated toSuryaDev(Sun),thewesterngateis called Chand pol whichmeansmoon gateandisdedicatedtoMoon,andthe northerngatefacestheancestralcapital of Amer.

Also,withmonumentsandunique structuresJaipurisspeciallyknownfor

Kendra createdbyArchitectCharlesCorrea and

itshand-madethingssuchasclothes, toys,craftsetc.Themetropolishas manytraditionalshopssellingantiques andhandicrafts,aswellasmodern brandsrevivingtraditionaltechniques, suchasAnokhi.Thepreviousmonarch ofJaipurpatronisedanumberofarts andcrafts.Theyinvitedskilled artisans,artistsandcraftsmenfrom Indiaandabroadwhosettledinthe city.Someofthecraftsinclude bandhani,blockprinting,stonecarving andsculpture,tarkashi,zari,gota-patti, kinariandzardozi,silverjewellery, gems,kundan,meenakariand jewellery,LakhkiChudiya,miniature paintings,bluepottery,ivorycarving, shellacworkandleatherware.

InancientRajasthanthereweremany tribeswhichwerequitefamousfor theirartperformances.Someofthem areBhopa,Kalbeliya.Paintingofat thattimeisalsofamouseventoday thosegetexploredinmanyexhibitions.

TheversatilecityofRajasthanalsohas handsspreadinperformingarts includingfolksandsomeexceptional musicalinstrumentsfamousallover theworld.Numerouslive performancesarefoundhere.Every streetofJaipurdepictsperformersand streetartistsperformingtheir individualskillsoringroups.Street circus,playsandannualeventsartists performsvariousactivitieswhich explainssomanythingsaboutthe cultureoftheoldcity.Streetpuppet showsaremajorattractiononthe streetsofJaipur

Ghoomardancewithsarangi, numerousfolkanddevotionalsongs with“garhaandkhartal”arefamousin Jaipur.MusicofJaipurdepicts significanceoflanguageand instrumentsusedinit.Basic instrumentsincludeastringinstrument sarangi,abeatdenotinginstrument widelyknownasKhartalanda Harmoniumgivingthefolkanessence

ofrichheritage.Withthesame Rajasthanimusicconsistssomemajor aspectsofclassicalmusicclassified withdifferentregionsdenotingthesame regions.Theclassificationwasdoneon Gharanas.EveryGharanawouldusedto depictasignificance.Jaipur,Bikaner, Jodhpurwasthemajorgharanas.

TasteinSimplicity

Oneofthemostdelightfulaspectsofa visittothe'pinkcity'istheculinary delightsofRajasthan,themaincuisine ofJaipur ThecapitalofRajputkings hadanimpressivearrayofmouthwateringdelights,keptcloselyguarded bytheroyalchefs.Someofthemhave beenpassedonthroughgenerations, sadlytheresthavebeenlost.The authenticityofJaipur,Rajasthanliesin itssimplicity.Jaipurisacityofroyalty, alandwhichhasservedrichfoodtothe Kingsandqueensoftheroyalfamily TheimperialkitchensofRajasthanused toemploy'Khansamas'(theroyal cooks)tomakethebestgastronomy. ThePinkcitystillservesthebest delicaciestoitsresidentsandtourists. Naturallyhome-maderecipeswinheart ofthetravellers.

TypicaldishesincludeDalBaati Churma,MissiRoti,GattekiSabzi, Lahsunkichutney,KerSangri,Makke kiGhat,BajrekiGhat,BajrekiRotiand LaalMaans.Jaipurisalsoknownforits sweetswhichdepictstheancient traditionsofRajasthantowelcome guestswithservingsweetasasymbol offriendshipandhappiness.Thesweet includeGhevar,Feeni,MawaKachori,

Gajak,Meethithuli,Chaugunike laddu,andMoongThal.Although, sincelastdecadebeingamoderncity, thecuisineofJaipurportraysa contemporarystyleofcuisine.Many dishesarerevisedanddenotesmixed cultures.Jaipurbeingagreattourist attractionitservesmorethan1000of varietyofdishesincludingbothVeg andNon-Veg.

ExploringJaipurthroughits Antiquities

PlannedbyVidyadharBhattacharya Jaipurownstherecordoffirstplanned cityinthehistoryofIndia.Beinga royalcitysinceformedJaipurdepicts manystructuresandmonuments denotingtherichnessofthecityandits cultureisdepictedoverthe monuments.Carvingsontheforts, maingatesandmanyothermonuments denotesthemagnificenceofthecityas wellasitsart.Jaipurownsmanyold structuresincludingfortsandPalaces. Manyofthemwereundertakenbythe britishersduringpre-independence period.

MajorsitestovisitinJaipurareAmer FortandJantarMantar.Jaipurowns manyculturalsiteslikeJawaharKala KendracreatedbyArchitectCharles CorreaandRavindraManch.

GovernmentCentralMuseumdenotes variousartsandantiquities.Thereisa governmentmuseumatHawaMahal andanartgalleryatViratnagar Also, NahargarhFort,JalMahal,JalgarhFort aresitestoexploreinJaipur.

WiththefortsJaipurownsamazing gardensdenotedtothequeensof particulardynastyfromvarioustime periods.LikeSisodiaRaniPalace, VidyadharGarden,RamNiwas Garden,etc.manynightsshowsteals theheartoftravellersincludinglight andsoundshowatJainiwasUdyan, AmberPalaceandCityPalaceare pointofattractionatnightastheyare

lightenedwithbrightlightsandlooks mesmerizinginthedark.

BeinganoldcityJaipurhavemany templesofdifferentreligions.Manyof themareknownfortheirarchitectural work.BirlaTemple,GovindDevji Temple,MotiDoongriGaneshTemple, DigambarJainMandirandmost importantamongtheseGaltajian ancientpilgrimagecentreinJaipur

MuseumslikeHawaMahal,Albert HallMuseum,JaipurWaxMuseum, MuseumofGem&Jewellery,etcare famousmuseumsinJaipurtovisit whichdepictsroyaltyofthatperiod andtheantiquitiesshowsartisticfactor ofJaipur.

EconomicGrowthofJaipur

Aspertherecordsreleasedbythe DirectorateofEconomicsandStatistics ofRajasthanstate,theGDPofJaipur districtisevaluatedatINR1,22,140 crores($15.8billion)in2020–21,with aper-capitaGDPofINR1,41,305.In additiontoitsroleasthenonmetropolitancapital,educational,and administrativecentre,theeconomyof Jaipurishavingboostbytourism, gemstonecutting,themanufactureof jewelleryandluxurytextiles,and informationtechnology

Threemajortradepromotion organisationshavetheirofficesin Jaipur Theseare:FederationofIndian ChambersofCommerce&Industry (FICCI),thePHDChamberof CommerceandIndustry(PHDCCI), andtheConfederationofIndian Industry(CII)whichhasitsregional officeshere.In2008,Jaipurwasrated 31amongthe50EmergingGlobal Outsourcingcities.

ThecityisamongtopapparentIThubs ofIndiaalongwithAhmedabad, BhubaneswarandKochi.Mahindra WorldCityisanon-segregated businesszoneinJaipur.Itishometo

varioussoftwareandITcompanies includingGenpact,Appirio, Infosys,Wipro,ICICIBank, ConnexionsandDeutscheBank. TheGovernmentofRajasthanhave builtAsia'slargestincubatorin Jaipur–theBhamashahTechno Hub.

Jaipurisamajorhubforartsand crafts.Ithasmanytraditionalshops sellingantiques,jewellery, handicrafts,gems,bangles,pottery, carpets,textiles,leatherandmetal products.JaipurisoneofIndia's largestmanufacturersofhandknottedrugs.Jaipurfoot,arubberbasedprostheticlegforpeoplewith below-kneeamputations,was designedandisproducedinJaipur

ContributionofJaipurinSports &Education

Education

ThePublicandprivateschoolsin JaipuraregovernedbytheCentral BoardofSecondaryEducationor BoardofSecondaryEducation, Rajasthan,InternationalBoardof educationandfollowa"10+2" plan.Thisplancallsforeightyears ofprimaryeducationandfouryears ofsecondaryeducation.The secondaryschoolincorporatetwo yearsofuppersecondaryeducation, whichismoreparticularand diversethanthetwoyearsoflower secondaryeducationbeforeit. Languagesofinstructioninclude EnglishandHindi.

Remarkableinstitutionsinthecity are:UniversityofRajasthan, RajasthanUniversityofHealth Sciences,Dr.BhimraoAmbedkar LawUniversity,RajasthanSanskrit University,HaridevJoshi UniversityofJournalismandMass Communication,SureshGyan ViharUniversity,Malaviya

NationalInstituteofTechnology,LNM InstituteofInformationTechnology, NationalInstituteofAyurveda,Sawai ManSinghMedicalCollegeand SubodhCollegeamongothers.

Admissiontograduationcollegesin Jaipur,manyofwhichareaffiliatedto RajasthanTechnicalUniversityin Kota,isthroughRajasthanEngineering AdmissionProcess.

Sports

Themajorcricketstadiuminthecity, SawaiMansinghStadium,can accommodatearound30,000people andhashostednationaland internationalcricketmatches.Itisalso thenativegroundofIPLteam RajasthanRoyals.SawaiMansingh IndoorStadium,ChauganStadiumand RailwayCricketGroundaretheother sportingstadiumsinthecity

Averynewstadiumhasbeenproposed forChonpVillagewithaseating capacity75,000.Itwouldbethethirdlargestcricketstadiumintheworld aftertheSardarPatelStadiumandthe MelbourneCricketGround.

ThecityissymbolizedintheIPLby RajasthanRoyalsin2008-2016; 2018–presentandinProKabaddi LeaguebyJaipurPinkPanthers.

Anewcricketstadiumsituated27km awayfromJaipurisunder construction.InJuly2021,Chief MinisterAshokGehlotsaidthatthe stadiumwillhaveatotalseating capacityof75000andwillbe constructedintwophases,ofwhichthe seatingaccommodationof45,000 peoplewillbecompletedinthefirst phaseandexpansionforanother 30,000willbedoneinthesecond phase.

Mehta Runam

M a k i n g W o r l d H e a l t h y

Growingupwatchingwomeninfamilyworkfulltimewithoutasingleholiday orwithoutacomplaintstillbeingunderestimatedbysocietyisacursestill womenlivewith.Workingdayandnightisabsolutelynoteasy.Totake responsibilitiesisawaymorefatal,stillbeingsustainabletoothersisacommendable job,butevenbeingperfecteverywherewomendon'tgetthetreatmenttheydeserve.

Herewehavewithussuchanexceptionalandself-provingladywhocurrentlyworks forahealthcaresolutioncompanyandisChiefExecutiveOfficer.Let'stakealook aboutherstory

InthisinterviewwithRunamMehta,ChiefExecutiveOfficeratHealthCubed IndiaPvt.Ltd,weshallknowmoreaboutthecompany'sandherpersonalgrowthand journey. Tellusaboutthecompany

TheCompany

HealthCubeisapoint-of-carediagnosticssolutionproviderfoundedin2015byDr. RamananLaxmiNarayanwiththevisionoftransforminghealthcaredeliveryand makingdiagnosisaccessible.Thecompanyoffersadiverserangeofdiagnostic products&servicesforcorporates,theGovernment,healthcareproviders,and homecare.HealthCubealsoprovidescustomizedservices-offeringdiagnostic devicesalongwiththedeviceoperatorsonclientpremisesandsharingthe

reports/analyticswiththeclients.HealthCube'sprimary productisamedical-grade,clinicallyaccurate,portable diagnosissystem,similartoadictionaryinsize.Itcanbe usedeasilyanywherebyanyonewithminimaltraining.Itis anISO13485certifiedcompanythathasreceived certificationfromCentralDrugsStandardControl Organization(CDSCO).HealthCubeprovidesresultsin1to 15minutesforover30testssuchasvitals,biochemical parameters,infectiousdiseases,andcardiacmarkers.The devicecanbeusedintheabsenceofelectricityorinternet, soisideallysuitedtoremote,far-flunglocationswhichlack accesstodoctorsanddiagnosticlabs.

Whatweretheinitialchallengesyoufaced?

ThebiggestchallengeduringmyjourneyatHealthCubehas beenfindingtherightproductmarketfit.HealthCubeoffers amedicalproductbutmanydoctorspreferlabtestsover point-of-caretesting.Gettingthebusinessmodeland pricingstrategyrightiscriticalandneedssometrialand error.Manystart-upsfailbecausetheywastemoneyand resourcesonproductsthatnoonewantstobuy.Iprioritized product-marketfitaboveallothergoals,buildingproducts basedonmarketfeedback.Weconductedmarketsurveys, cutproductioncosts,andexplorednewmarketstoachieve product-marketfit.Buildingaproductforthemarketis easierthanfindingamarketfortheproductthatisbuilt. Gettingateamalignedtoacommongoalandconsistently workingtowardsthesameiscriticaltosuccess.Keepingan eyeonthebiggerpictureisimportant,buttheproofofthe puddingliesinexecution.Executioniseverythingandthis hasbeenthebiggestlearningforme.Asinanyearly-stage start-up,findingaproduct-marketfitwasbothcriticaland challengingforHealthCube.Inconversationwithover500 playersacrossallsub-segmentsofhealthcare,Ihavebeen abletoidentifyourniche,arriveatapricingstrategyand findarepeatable,scalablebusinessmodel.Addingand empoweringtherightsetofpeoplewithintheorganization iskeyandwiththese2aspectsinplace,HealthCubeison theroadtosuccess.

Whichwasthatpointthattriggeredthegrowthofthe company?

IthinkthepivotalpointforHealthCubecameaboutayear agowhenweaskedourselvessomereallytoughquestionsanddecidedtonarrowdownourfocusonwhatiscoretous –buildingandsellingreliableprimarycaredevices.Wehad tophaseoutsomeproductsandrefusesomeprojectswe knewwouldnotserveusinthelongrun.Fortunately, decidingtoaligntheentireorganizationonasingle

objectivepaidoffandwearemovingfromstrengthto strength.Mylearningfromthisexperiencehasbeen straightforward-itisimportanttoknowwhatyoucanand cannotdoandit'stheleader'sjobtosayNOto opportunitiesthatdonotalignwiththevisionofthe company

Howhavethecompanygraphschangedsincethe foundation?Canyoushareafewstatistics?(Youcan sharethecharts/graphshere).

Ÿ

HealthCubewasincorporatedin2015withofficesin Delhi,Bangalore,andWashingtonDC

Ÿ In2018,HealthCubewasawardedISO13485 certification

Ÿ Welaunchedourfirstproductin2016andanother versionofthesameproductin2017.

Ÿ ByOctober2021,HealthCubeexpandeditsportfolioof devicesto6devices,cateringtodifferentusecases

Ÿ In2020HealthCubereceivedCEcertificationallowing expansiontotheEuropeanmarket

Whatisthereasonbehindyourcompany'slongstandingsuccess?

Ourexpandabletechnologyallowsustoworkwithour partnersandfulfiltheirchangingneeds.Webuilddeep relationshipswithexistingpartners,helpthemdelivervalue totheendconsumer,andarefocusedondrivingrepeat business.Weleveragepartnershipstoimproveusproduct andourreachintoIndianandInternationalmarkets.Weare investingininnovationtoensurewestayaheadofthe curve.Wehaveastrongfeedbackloopthatkeepsusonour toesforproductimprovementsanddeliveringvalue.

TheProducts/Services

Whataretheproducts/servicesthecompanyfocuseson? Howareyourservicesdifferentfromthoseinthemarket?

HealthCubeisnew,unique,anddifferentcomparedtothe alternatives/substitutesinthemarket.Itoffersanarrayof testsanddistinctivefeaturesthatdistinguishitfromother productsinthemarket.Oneplatform,manytests:The HealthCubesystemcanperforma12-leadECGandprovide aninterpretation,measurebloodpressure,oxygen saturation,bloodglucose,haemoglobin,totalcholesterol, anduricacidandalsotestforvariousinfectiousdiseases suchasmalaria,typhoid,Hepatitis,HIV,syphilis, leptospirosis,chikungunya,allonasingleplatform.AIbasedinterpretationofresults:OurRDTreaderisbasedon

anAI-basedalgorithmforinterpretingresults.Easyto perform:Thebloodtestsareperformedbysimplypricking thefinger,obviatingtheneedforaphlebotomist.Requires noelectricityorinternet:HealthCubeworksonapower bankandisideallysuitedforhealthcamps,door-to-door screening,andruralortribalareas.Reportgenerationdoes notrequiretheinternet.In-builtelectronichealthrecord systemfortrackingandmonitoring:Patientrecordsare createdandreportsaresavedonourproprietaryapp,EzDx, eliminatingtheneedforseparatesoftwareforreportsharing &dataaccess.Minimaltrainingrequirements: HealthCubecanbeusedbyanyonewithminimaltraining, withtheaidofstep-by-stepvisualinstructionsintheapp. Portablesystem:Thediagnosticdeviceweighslessthan2 kgandissocompactthatitcanbeeasilycarriedina backpack.Expandingmenuoftests:TheHealthCube systemallowsforeasyintegrationofadditionaltestsvia externalportsorthroughthesoftware.Ourfutureroadmap includestheadditionofadigitalstethoscope,testsfordrug abuse,electrolytes,renalfunction,andliverfunction. Healthcareisaveryvastindustry.Howdoyourservices catertotheneedsofthepeople?TheHealthCubedevice wasdesignedwiththeobjectiveofaddressingtheneedfor high-quality,cost-effectivediagnosticservicesinunderresourcedareas.Diagnostictestscanbeplacedin2major categories:basichealthparametersthatenabledisease screeningandinitialdiagnosisandadvancedtestsfor confirmatorypurposesorthediagnosisofhighlycomplex diseases.

Howdoyoudecidetotakethecompanyastepfurtherin termsofyourproducts/services?

Weaimtoprovideaccurate&instantdiagnosticstothe remotestareasoftheworld.InIndia,wearefilingtenders withvariousstategovernmentstoexpandourfootprintin thecountryandtrulybringaccesstotheunderserved.We arepartneringwithotherKIOSk/HealthATMs-thatuse thedeviceascoretechtoeventuallygrowwiththem.We areintegratedwiththee-Sanjeevanitelemedicineplatform andaimtopartnerwithtelemedcompanieswhoworkina hubandspokemodeltoimprovetheirexperience.Weare alsopitchingtocorporationstobeapartoftheirCSR activitiesaimedtocreatesocialentrepreneurs.

Leadership

Whatdoyouthinkaretheresponsibilitiesofan entrepreneur?

Inmyopinion,theprimaryresponsibilityofanentrepreneur

istocreatesomethingofvalue;toreallypickaproblemand lookforthebest,mostsustainablesolutionforthatproblem. Noonesucceedsalone,andtowardsthat,italsofallsupon entrepreneurstofind,hireandinspirethebestpossible talenttohelpthemimplementtheirinnovations.Continuous incrementalimprovementstotheproduct,thesolution,and thebusinessmodelarenecessary-anditisan entrepreneur'sresponsibilitytoconsidercustomerfeedback whilenavigatingthroughsomedifficultdecisions.

Canyoupleasebriefusaboutyourprofessional experience?

Myprofessionaljourneyhasbeenquiteatypical;Iama Physiotherapistbyeducationandabusinesspersonby profession.IdidmyBachelorofPhysiotherapy,from SanchetiInstitute.Inmy20s,Ifoundedasuccessful companycalledWorkErgonomicstospreadawareness aboutposturalproblemsandrepetitivestraininjuries.After movingtoBangalore,IrealizedthatPhysiosweregrossly underpaidandthereforeunder-appreciatedandstarted exploringwaystodisruptthemarket.Duringthattime,I cameacrossPortea.Porteawaslookingtoorganizethe disorganizedhomecaremarketandhiredmetobuildtheir Physiobusiness.Duringmy7-yearstintatPortea-Ihelped theorganizationgrowfromstrengthtostrengthwhile addingsubstantiallytomyownskills.IjoinedHealthCube toheadgrowth18monthsagoandforalmostayearnow,I havebeenleadingtheorganizationasCEO.

THE STARBUCKS

StarbucksCorporation,basedinSeattle,Washington,isanAmericanglobalcoffeehouseandroastery business.Asofearly2020,thefirmhasover30,000outletsin70countriesacrosstheworld.

ThisblogisacomprehensiveexaminationofStarbucks’marketingtechniques,includingtheirtargetmarket, socialmediastrategy,marketingmix,digitalmarketingpresence,campaigns,andmarketingactivitiesthroughout theongoingpandemic.

AboutStarbucks

Inthe1980s,all-outespressoofferingsintheUnitedStateswereonthedecline.Strengthespresso,ontheother hand,grewinpopularityandaccountedfor10%ofthemarketin1989,comparedtoonly3%in1983.By1986, thegrouphadsixlocationsinSeattleandhadonlyrecentlybegunsellingcoffee.By1989,Starbuckshad46 locationsacrosstheNorthwestandMidwest,andeachyearitbrewedmorethan2,000,000pounds(907,185kg)of coffee.Starbuckshad140locationswith$73.5millioninrevenueatthetimeofitsfirstpublicoffering(IPO)on thestockexchangeinJune1992,upfrom$1.3millionin1987.

Atthisstage,theorganization’sfairmarketvaluewasjudgedtobe$271million.Thesaleofa12%stakeinthe companyearnedroughly$25millionforthecompany,resultinginatwo-foldincreaseinthenumberofoutlets overthenexttwoyears.Starbucks’offercosthadrisenby70%tomorethandoubletimestheincomeper componentofthepreviousyearbySeptember1992.InJuly2013,over10%ofin-storepurchasesweremadevia theStarbucksapponcustomers’phones.

Ÿ EvolutionFreshjuices

Whole-beancoffee Ÿ Caffelattes

Hotandcolddrinks Ÿ MicrogroundinstantcoffeeknownasVIA

Ÿ

Starbucks,astheworld’slargestcoffeehousechain,isoftenregardedasthefaceofAmerica’ssecondwaveof coffeeculture.Starbuckscoffeehousesserve: Ÿ

Frappuccinobeverages

Starbucksisranked132ndontheFortune500listofthelargestcompaniesintheUnitedStatesbyrevenueasof 2018.StarbuckssaidinJuly2019thattheir“monetarysecond-quartertotalcompensationof$1.37billion,or $1.12pershare,upfrom$852.5million,or61centsforeachoffer,ayearearlier.”Inthemiddleof2019,the organization’sfairassessedworthof$110.2billionincreasedby41%.Inthethirdquarter,earningspersharewere 78pennies,significantlymorethantheforecasted72cents. Ÿ Espresso

Ÿ

Ÿ Snacksincludingitemssuchaschipsandcrackers

Full-andloose-leafteasincludingTeavanateaproducts Ÿ

LaBoulangepastries

Andalso,someofferingsthatareseasonalorspecifictothe localityofthestore.

StarbucksinIndia

StarbuckswasinterestedinenteringtheIndianmarketin the2010s.Byfocusingonthespecificupper-class demographicinIndia,thefirmhopedtoprofitfromthe developmentofcoffeeculture.

StarbucksCorporationandTataCoffeeannouncedplansto launchStarbucksstoresinIndiainJanuary2011.Despitea phonystartin2007,StarbuckssaidinJanuary2012thatit willforma50:50jointventurewithTataGlobalBeverages namedTataStarbucksLtd.,whichwouldownandoperate shopslabelled“Starbucks,ATataAlliance”.In2007, StarbucksattemptedtoentertheIndianmarket.Itdidnot, however,offerarationaleforthecancellation.Starbucks launcheditsfirststoreinalongtimeonOctober19,2012,a 4,500-square-footlocationatHornimanCircle,Mumbai.In 2013,Starbuckslauncheditsfirstcookingandwrapping factoryinCoorg,Karnataka,inordertoservicethe company’scustomers.

Tatain2017-18,Starbucksadded25locations,andin201819,itplanstoopen30.FromJune2020,accordingtoCEO NavinGurnaney,TataStarbuckswillutilizesolely biodegradableandrecyclablewrappingmaterialsacrossits entireshopnetwork.OnAugust7,2019,Starbucks announceditsarrivalinGujarat.Thenextday,thegroup launchedfiveoutletsinSuratandAhmedabad.Thestate's largestStarbuckslocationisinPrahladNagar,Ahmedabad, anditprovidesmoreveganoptionsthanotherIndian locations.Inthe2019-20fiscalyear,Navinstatedthatthe companywillopenmorethan30outlets,11ofwhichhave beenopened.

Followingthesuccessfullaunchoftheirbrand,thenext criticalstageinguaranteeingtheirlong-termviabilitywas topinpointtheirtargetdemographic.

TheTargetMarketofStarbucks

Starbucksisahigh-endcoffeecompanywithaclientelethat ispredominantlyfromtheupper-middleandupperclasses. Thebrandisaimedatcustomerswhodesirearelaxing environmenttoconsumecoffeeandunwind.Theseare primarilyhigher-wageprofessionals,companyowners,or

otherhigh-endclientelebetweentheagesof22and50. Peoplewholivefast-pacedlivesdesiredeliciouscoffeeand aquietplacetounwindafteralongday.Starbucksprovides allofthesebenefitsinoneconvenientlocation.Starbucks’ targetdemographiccomprisesbothmaleandfemale consumers,withthemajorityofthesecustomersfalling withinthe25-45agebracket.Thosewhoaremostlyurban, health-conscious,andclass-consciousconsumers.

ThetargetaudiencethatStarbucksusuallylooksforare:

Urban-ish,onthego

High-incomespenders

ReachingBeyondthestorefront

Health-consciousprofessionals

Technologyearlyadopters

Flexibletochange

TheMarketingStrategiesofStarbucks

Starbucks’firstmarketingstrategyinIndiawastosegregate customersegmentsbasedonsocioeconomicstatus. Workingprofessionalsandtheirdemandforarelaxing environmentarethefocusofthisproject.Starbucks additionallyseparatesitsmarketbasedongeographyand demographicsbyestablishinglocationsthatcatertothe aforementionedtargetclientele.Mostbusinessesstartoutin anewmarketbyfocusingonaparticularsectionandthen expandintoothercategoriesiftheysucceed.Starbucks followedsuit,expandingitsproductlineandsocialmedia marketingpresencetotargetteensandyoungadultsaswell.

Ÿ

ThismarketingmixhashelpedStarbuckstodevelopa uniquemarketpositionforitsproductswhichhas therebydifferentiatedthebrand’soverallexperienceand haspositioneditselfasahighlyreputedbrand.This marketingmixstrategytotargetthemodernandtechsavvygenerationhasthushelpedinthegrowthofthe useofdigitaltechnologyaswellassocialmediafor promotionsandcustomerengagement.

TheRapidDigitalExpansion

AmongsttheseveralkeyprioritiesofStarbucks,expanding thebrand’sdigitalreachtointeractwithitscustomersisof utmostimportance.Inordertokeepupwiththecustomers, itisimplementingnewwaystoattractdigitallyregistered customersbeyondStarbucks’rewardsprogram.For instance,thecoffeechainisofferingmobileorderservices andleveragingWi-Fisign-insatitsbrick-and-mortarstores.

StarbucksSocialMediaStrategy:Severalpeopleareaware andfamiliarwiththesocialmediapagesofStarbucks.The company’ssocialmediapagesstandoutamongsttherest becauseoftheirdistinctivebranding,interactiveposts,and visuallypleasingcontent.Italsohasadiverserangeof contentincludesrecipes,photography,articles,and features;however,thisstreamcanbebrokendownintoa sequenceofcampaignspitchedatcreatingabettersenseof brandawarenessandcommunity.

StarbucksProduct-basedMarketingCampaigns:Starbucks promotesone-of-a-kindandfan-favoritedrinks.Thebrand iswellawareofhowpopulartheirflagshipgoodsare,but moresignificantly,theyarealsoawarethattheirtarget audienceishungryforthistypeofmaterial.They'vealso builtsocialpagesfortheirmostpopulardrinks,like

PumpkinSpicedLatteandFrappuccino,wheretheyshare pertinentandrelatablememeswiththeirdevotedfans. User-generatedcontent(UGC)playsarolehereaswell. ConsumerphotographsofmoreInstagrammableitems,like theUnicornFrappuccino,arefrequentlychosentoberesharedviaofficialchannelsandutilizedininfluencer marketing.

StarbucksCorporateSocialResponsibility-BasedCampaign

Starbuckspositionsitselfasopen-mindedandinclusiveby usingsocialchangeasamarketingstrategy.The #ExtraShotOfPridecampaign,whichpromotestheLGBT+ community,isoneexample.

Community-BasedCampaigns:Starbucks’digitalapproach alsoplacesapremiumonspotlightingindividualsand communities.Considerthe#RedCupArtcampaign,which notonlyboostsinteractionbutalsocreatesalibraryofusergeneratedmaterial.Theylocalizetheinformationbyusing narrativetodemonstrateexamplesofbraveryandcharityin Americanneighborhoods.Starbucksmakesaconscious attempttohumanizethefirmbypublishingtalesontheir Instagramaccountthatemphasizetheemployeesthatplay animportantrole,particularlywhenitcomestocustomer service.Thissenseofbelongingalsomakesonlinecoffee contentsociable,justliketheydidwhentheyeffectively foundedcontemporarycoffeehouseculture.

FestiveMarketing:Starbuckshasalsolaunchedanew seasonalwhole-beancoffee,the#StarbucksDiwaliBlend, forcustomersintheUnitedStatesandcertaininternational markets.Hand-pickedandobtainedfromTataEstatesin KarnatakaandTamilNadu,thecurrentexquisitemixisa must-try.StarbucksDiwaliBlendpayshomagetothe region’srichcoffeelegacyandskill.Itcreatedthe #SketchTheBlendpromotion,inwhichconsumerscould win5freedrinksbysharingtheircreativityontheDiwali Blendcupandsleeve.

Let’sdivedeeperandanalyzetheiroveralldigitalpresence.

DigitalMarketingPresenceofStarbucks

Starbucksrecognizesthatitscustomersaredigitallysavvy, makingasoliddigitalmarketingplanessential.Starbucks clearlyfavorsmarketingonplatformsthatallowfortwowaycontactoverchannelsthatonlyallowforone-way communication,suchasprintandtelevision.

Instagram–248K+followers Facebook–1.1M+likes

Twitter–161K+followers

Starbucksupdatesitssocialmediaaccountsonaregular basisandcreateschallengesandgamestoengagecustomers andgrowitsfanbase.

Thecontentandengagementareconsistentacrossall platforms,andthecompanybelievesinprovidingan experienceratherthanmerelyarouteformarketing.

TheMarketingStrategyDuringCovid-19

We’veallseenhowquicklytheCovid-19outbreakspread overtheworld.Overnight,everybusinessintheworldwas impacted.Andtheyhadtofigureouthowtostayafloatin theseunchartedwaters.Theepidemichadasignificant influenceontheIndianmarket,butStarbuckswas continuallyimprovingtolessentheeconomicimpact.These weretheactionsperformedbythecoffeebehemothduring theepidemic,demonstratingwhyitisthemostvaluable:

TheExpansionofStarbucks CEONavinGurnaneyindicatedthattheywillopendrivethrustoencouragepeopletointeractwiththem,aswellas homedeliveriestokeepintouchwithclientsduringthe epidemic.Thefirstdrive-thruwasatAmbalaChandigarh ExpresswayinZirakpur.Thecompanyhaslauncheditsapp aswell—StarbucksIndiaAppsothatcustomerscaneasily navigateandpurchasetheirofferings.

#ReconnectWithStarbuckscampaign: StarbucksSocialMediaCampaigns

Starbucks’socialmediacampaignwaslaunchedintwo stages.Customerswereurgedtosubmittheirmeansof reconnectingdespitetheepidemicandtheirfavorite StarbucksmemoryontheirpersonalInstagramaccounts withthehashtag#ReconnectWithStarbucksinthefirst phase.Theyencouragedtheirconsumerstoremarkontheir favoritebeverageonthepostinthesecondphase,“Half CupFull.”Theythensenttheseconsumersaudiomemos withtheirfavoritebeverageandbaristasyellingtheirnames toremindthemofthefamedin-storeexperience.Thiswas anexcellentadvertisementsinceitnotonlyreminded consumersoftheirfondrecollectionsofStarbucks,butit alsomadethemfeelgoodaboutthemselves.

#StarbucksAtHomeand#StarbucksDance:

Starbuckshaslauncheda1literoffreshlybreweddrinks thatcanbeorderedthroughSwiggyandZomatofortakeout ordelivery.Sevenflavorswereintroduced,eachcosting

Rs.550perbottle.Starbucksannouncedthe #StarbucksDancechallengetoadvertisethedrink,asking consumerstofilmadancevideowiththedrinkandpostit totheirpersonalaccounts.Theyguaranteedthewinnera yearoffreeStarbucks.

StrategicAlliancestoEnhancetheExperienceandReach

SignatureMerchandiseLaunchwithFlipkart:

Theepidemicchangedpeople’sshoppinghabitsand pushedthemtobuylocallyproducedgoodsratherthan importedorforeign-madegoods.Starbuckstookadvantage ofthistransitionbyteamingupwithFlipkarttosell StarbucksSignatureMerchandiseontheonline marketplace.Custommugs,tumblers,coldcups,andother itemswereavailable.Customerswillbeabletoorder coffee-makingequipmentfromtheconvenienceoftheir ownhomesinthenearfuture.Starbucksonlyhada presencein12cities;thus,thiswasacalculatedeffortto reachouttocustomersintheirhomesacrossIndiaduring theepidemic,takingadvantageofthecountry’sgrowing relianceonE-Commerce.

Stand-upComedyFestival:

Starbuckshaslaunchedthe#StarbucksComedyFestival, whichwillgiveselectfortunatecustomersafreeticketto thecomicfestival.Onthecustomer’sinvoice,thefortunate codeswouldbepresent.Customerswouldbeexcitedto shopmnowthattheyhaveaprominentline-upof presentersincludingSapanVerma,AzeemBanatwalla,and RahulSubramanian.

Conclusion

Insummary,Starbucksisthemarketleaderbecauseofits dominantworldwidepresenceandleadership.Becauseof itsintimateambiance,invitingenvironment,andunrivaled service,acustomer'sexperienceataStarbucksstoreis undoubtedlyunlikeanyothercoffeeshop.Their welcoming“perfectcoffeeshopatmosphere”shouldbea long-termcompetitiveadvantage.Starbucks’retailoutlets andon-sitecollaborationshaveearnedhigherresponse rates,puttingtheminfrontofthepackinthemature business.Asaresultofitsall-encompassingmarketing approach,Starbucksenjoysastrongmarketposition.