A unit which stitches 'special' minds

Entering the tough world of garment industry is a real challenge.  Shanthi D Awaradi, the promoter of a unit in the city, speaks to N Niranjan Nikam about the trials and tribulations and also the CSR role she is playing, giving chance to ‘special’ people.

There was a time when the ads in the newspapers spoke only about the opportunities in the garment industry. In the city there were just one or two big names in the 1990s and they have also closed down long ago.

In this scenario enters a promoter, who has started Shree Bhagyavanthi Garments on the Outer Ring Road. “The main inspiration for me to start this is my husband, though initially he was reluctant to support me in this venture,” said Shanthi D Awaradi, the promoter.

Coming from a rural background in Bijapur, she came to Mysore about 20 years ago and her dreams of becoming a lawyer or enter the police department remained just that.  However, life took a turn when she met Vishwanath B. Venturing into share business; she veered towards the garment industry, a tough field to enter.

“I have always wanted to do social service and this is one field where opportunities could be created for women. Also I had great support of my in-laws and a few friends in the industry who gave me the strength to start this unit,” she told City Herald.

This is the time when she met Anuradha Nandakumar, the founder of Mysore District Parents Association for Empowering the Developmentally Disabled (MPAEDD) and also its secretary. This is an organisation which constantly looks for industry support to place the persons with disabilities like autism, mental retardation, cerebral palsy, learning disorders and multiple disabilities.

“Shanthi is a person who has real social concern and the moment I told her about the organisation and the kind of work we were doing, she immediately accepted to place a few of the special people in her unit,” said Anuradha.

“Three of the eight special people are really doing a good job. The others are also coping well,” said Shanthi.

“It takes time for them to understand but once they learn the job, they keep at it with great vigour. Even if we absent ourselves on a few occasions, these kids never shirk work,” said the chirpy office manager R Shilpa.

An industry which has been the largest employer of women, SBG is no exception. There are nearly 120 of them employed and unlike the horror stories of women working in dark, dingy places with no light and air, the unit here is very spacious with lots of ventilation.

Workforce

“The women come from the villages in and around and also we scout for them at places like the JSS and Rudset where the women are given apparel training,” said special HR manager M Neelamani.

The productive age of the people working in this industry is in the age group between 18 to 35. “The absenteeism and migration are major bane in this industry. Also if there is direct order from the client the margins are good. Otherwise it is the middleman who always makes a kill,” said Viswanath.

“It was because of Viswanath, apart from Shanthi that we were able to place the special kids. Most of them are independent now and they come on their own to work. My only regret right now is that they have still not reached a stage where their work will be recognised and they start earning something.

This we hope will happen very soon,” said Anuradha and added, “I only wish like Vinyas and SBG, more industries in Mysore, including the software giant’s come around to employ special people.”