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Brand Avatar, a branding and event management company in association with Naturals Salon & Spa, as the title sponsor, powered by Udhayam Paruppu Vagaigal organised ‘Suyasakthi Virudhugal — ‘Homepreneur Awards’ 2018 amidst a glitzy evening, celebrating the SHEROES and Role Models at Hotel Savera on August 26, 2018.
The second edition of Homepreneur awarding ceremony saw 35 ‘Homepreneur awardees’, four ‘Special Mention’ and five ‘Special Mention Recognition’ awardees from across 11 categories being honoured for their exemplary business and innovative work-from-home ideas. Brimming with confidence, courage, grit and determination, driven by passion to create, innovate and step into the commercial arena, whilst balancing their family commitments, these proud winners received their awards from Chief Guest Dr. Kamal Haasan, who also rendered the key note address on the occasion. They will be provided with mentorship and investment support for transforming and upgrading their business activities.
Speaking about the successful second edition, Mr. Hemachandran, Founder & CEO of Brand Avatar said, “This award has been structured as a social impact initiative as it aims to recognise and award women who have created such an enterprise. Also, it provides a support eco system through funders and mentors for ideas that have the scaling up potential. This annual award hopes to motivate thousands of women aspiring to become Homepreneurs by creating role models from around them and also in the process, sensitise family and the male primary earning members to provide a conducive environment, to identify, motivate and nurture women’s aspiration to become a homepreneur”.
“In a nutshell, this is a platform for all the women around you who are supporting their homes financially by their home ventures, women who have turned their passions and hobbies to commerce from their home environment” added Mr. Hemachandran.
The Title Sponsor, Naturals Salon and Spa’s CEO & Co-founder, Mr. CK Kumaravel said, “These Homepreneurs are now creating a new marketplace on their own terms. They are innovating, burning the midnight oil from home to create an accounted economic value. They are creating a sustainable activity given the demands of their family life. With sensitivity to people and environment they are creating socially responsible ideas. Hence, we at Homepreneur awards deem it a great privilege to recognise, felicitate, nurture and mentor them”.
The selection process:
About 150 candidates were shortlisted for a one on one interview from a total of 6500 registrants. The jury members across the board evaluated the nominees based on the following criteria: Uniqueness of idea, Social Impact, Family Impact, Revenue and growth, Potential for scaling up and Passion. The 11 broad categories included Agriculture, Arts & Culture, Beauty & Wellness, Breaking Stereotype, Education & Literature, Food & Beverages, Home Professionals, Healthcare, Home Retail, Media & Entertainment, Sports & Fitness, Social Welfare (See Annexure for Awardees list).
Eminent and Experienced JURY MEMBERS:
The jury comprising eminent women from diverse domains short listed and selected the winners of the awards under each category.
• VEENA KUMARAVEL – FOUNDER, NATURALS SALON
• ROHINI MANIAN – CEO, GLOBAL ADJUSTMENTS SERVICES PVT LTD
• ARUNA SUBRAMANIAM – MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT & TRUSTEE, BHOOMIKA TRUST
• DR. SAUNDARYA RAJESH – FOUNDER-PRESIDENT, AVTAR CAREER CREATORS & FLEXI CAREEERS INDIA
• RINKU MECHERI – SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR & FOUNDER, CHENNAI VOLUNTEERS
• LATHA RAJAN – FOUNDER, MA FOI STRATEGIC CONSULTANTS
• GEETHA NAGU – MANAGING DIRECTOR, VNCT VENTURES
• NINA REDDY – MANAGING DIRECTOR, SAVERA HOTELS
• PUSHKAR GAYATHRI – DIRECTOR, TAMIL MOVIE INDUSTRY
• POORNIMA RAMASWAMY – DESIGNER, STYLIST & ENTREPRENEUR
• SUSHILA RAVINDRANATH – SENIOR JOURNALIST/COLUMNIST AND BUSINESS AUTHOR
