KTR urges women entrepreneurs to look beyond Hyderabad

Hyderabad: IT minister K.T. Rama Rao has urged the community of women entrepreneurs to look beyond Hyderabad for their entrepreneurial ventures. “The city is in the centre of India, equidistant to all major destinations. Though we compete on the growth we do not want it to be another Bengaluru. We must decongest Hyderabad,” he said.

The minister was speaking at Ficci Ladies Organisation (FLO) Hyderabad Business Awards function. He along with Amitabh Kant, India’s G-20 sherpa, presented the awards to 16 women entrepreneurs in an annual event held on Wednesday.

The gathering was attended by principal secretary Jayesh Ranjan, Hyderabad Commissioner of Police C.V. Anand, co-chairman of Ficci Telangana State Council Murali Krishna, Jayanti Dalmia, national president, FLO and Pinky Reddy, former national president, FLO and over 500 FLO members among others. Calling Hyderabad the startup state of India, Rama Rao said the state’s performance has been nothing short of stellar since 2014.

“According to some studies, there are 1,078 women for every 1,000 men. Women must be part of our growth trajectory. Desired growth is not possible without involving women. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, now a leader of G-20, has always said they must use the opportunity to push women to lead development across the world," Kant said.

Calling women entrepreneurship the new currency of 21st-century India, Shubhraa Maheshwari, chairperson of FLO Hyderabad said that women’s participation in larger numbers will surely accelerate the process to help India become one of the largest economies.

In March last, FLO Hyderabad launched India’s first women-run unit that brought in over Rs 250 crore investment to the state and generated employment of over 1,100, of which 37% are women.

As many as 20 winners were honoured. They include Ratna Reddy, Ajita Reddy Yogesh, Shilpa Saboo, Ritika Agarwal, Dr Hima Jyothi Challa, Laxmi Suchitra Kathuri, Sindura Borra, Dr Sangita Reddy, Manisha Saboo, Aarti Joshi, K Bina Keshav Rao, Anukriti Jalan, Mansi Vuppula, Sridevi Jasti, Keerthi Yerneni, Meera Shenoy, DR CH Sita, Pratibha Kunda, Kalpana Ramesh, Minal Dalmia and Maya Vivek.

A world-famous wheelchair dance show called ‘Miracle On Wheels’ was performed by the differently abled which impressed everyone. The artists have entered the Guinness Book of World Records and Limca Book of World Records for their achievements.