Kerala govt to honour three women for entrepreneurship

KOCHI: Shruti Shibulal, Poornima Indrajith and Sheela James have been selected for this year’s Outstanding Women Entrepreneur of Kerala Award of the state government. The names of the recipients were announced by Minister for Women and Child Development KK Shailaja on Tuesday. The awards will be presented by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during the state-level inauguration of International Women’s Day celebrations at Nishagandhi Theatre, Nanthancodu, Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday. The award is presented to women entrepreneurs who have set an example on the professional front and have novel initiatives to their credit.

With her flagship resort Tamara Coorg launched in 2012 under Tamara Leisure Experiences, Shruti Shibulal has made a mark for herself in a conventionally male-dominated industry. Apart from giving guests a luxury indulgence, Tamara Coorg also cultivates coffee, pepper, cardamom and honey. With a second luxury property in Kodaikanal, Shruti is targeting a 1,000 room mark in the next five years. 

Poornima Indrajith stepped into the business world after a successful career in acting and anchoring. She launched Pranaah boutique in 2013 which took off in no time. Her focus on international fashion trends fused with native handloom techniques helped her gain a large customer base as well as international acclaim. From a single sewing machine and a tailor in 1986, Sheela James’ has built a textile empire with grit and determination. Her designer boutique, Czarina is a now a leading clothing brand in Thiruvananthapuram, which identifies talented weavers and gives them an opportunity to blossom.