11 Dec Women in construction, skilled workers and weavers
‘Women in construction, skilled workers and weavers’
About: The domain of construction and building practices, on one hand, has changed drastically over the past two decades. Nonetheless, on the other hand, the realities for workers on sites across India remain gravely desperate. The brutal forces of efficiency and a general disregard for well-being of the workers remains a constant reminder of how little we have been able to influence these conditions as professionals. This panel, titled ‘women in construction, skilled workers and weavers’ will look at some critical aspects of labour, skill and craft and the way professionals and the industry interfaces with women in the act of ‘Making Design’. The panel seeks to question the contradictions, challenges and conflicts of the issue of women in construction and building craft through the vantage points of a diverse set of individuals from varied backgrounds. The panel is moderated by Ar. Ruturaj Parikh.
About: Ratnamala Swain, Ratnamala Swain is an architect who entered the field of entrepreneurship by becoming a contractor in Odisha in 1989. As a Civil Contractor, constructing public roads, buildings, and field channels – she is the first woman who has been recognised especially in the Eastern region to enter what was known as a men’s business. Since then, she has set up and runs and architectural consulting company called AR Engineers Private Limited. Later in 2003 she started Odisha’s premier residential and commercial realty groups [DN Homes] and continues to work as the company’s Director. During this time, she developed strong business partnerships with reputed business groups, bringing many national players to Orissa. Eventually, the company diversified into multiple arenas. A past student leader she worked closely with the Government of Orissa to create employment opportunities for unemployed engineers and was able to create more than 5,000 jobs for them. She was felicitated with the “Woman Entrepreneur of The Year” in 1994 when she had just started her entrepreneurial journey and barely knew anything about business.
About: Mohit Hajela, Mohit Hajela is a Group Head, Business Development of the Jaquar Group – an Engineer- MBA by education, comes with an enriching experience of more than 23 years into Marketing and Sales, having worked across a large array of multinationals in the space of Luxury, Consumer Goods and Specialty Products. He stands accredited with a successful track record of having conceptualized and implemented brand strategies into both project and retail environment, transforming brands into leading and profitable market players foraying into India and South Asia. He has held top management positions with some of the most aspired luxury brands like Miele India and senior management position with brands like LG Electronics and Hitachi Home Life Solutions. Further, as Knowledge Consultant, he has delivered with distinction into the space of Strategy, Leadership and Execution, with some very prestigious assignments, contracted into Aviation Infrastructure-Airports, Power, Earth-movers and Construction Industry, Consumer Durables, Retail, Real Estate and Luxury.
About: Nand Kishore Chaudhary and Weaver Prem Devi, Nand Kishore Chaudhary, the founder of Jaipur Rugs, is a globally acclaimed social entrepreneur and is often referred to as “Gandhi of carpet industry”. He began in 1978 with two looms and nine artisans. Four decades later, Jaipur Rugs has become a global social enterprise that provides sustainable livelihood to 40,000 artisans in 600 remote villages across five states in India. Of these artisans, over 80% are women. Management guru, C.K. Prahalad featured Nand Kishore Chaudhary’s revolutionary business philosophy in his globally acclaimed book -The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid. He was described as “father of modern social enterprises” by an internationally reputed professor of marketing, Jagdish N. Sheth from Emory University, USA. Sheth said, “Jaipur Rugs has become a role model, that business can serve society and at the same time can be a capitalistic institution”. He has won numerous awards including E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year Award, CNBC TV18 Emerging India Award, Social Impact Award conferred by former president Pranav Mukherjee, a finalist in India Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award, 2019 by Schwab foundation. As a simple man, Nand Kishore Chaudhary is devoted to the Indian hand knotted rug industry to position it rightly in the world and to empower its real owner and creator – the Indian weaver.
About: Mahila Housing Sewa Trust, Mahila Housing Sewa Trust’s (MHT) mission is to organise and empower women in poor communities to improve their habitat. A quality habitat is a home with all basic services such as clean water, toilets, electricity, and adequate light and ventilation. It is a key financial asset that supports livelihoods and makes the poor more resilient to heat stress, disease, and other hazards of climate change. Women understand that a strong neighbourhood is essential to upgrading individual homes. MHT believes women are the leaders to drive progress in their under-served communities. Through grassroots programs in habitat development, climate change, and participatory governance, MHT empowers women to exercise their rights and uplift living conditions for their families and neighbours. Today, MHT is working in 17 cities across 8 states in India and collaborating with partners in Bangladesh and Nepal. It is a leading advocacy organization with expertise in policy development, grassroots organizing, community development and technical know how in land tenure, construction, management and oversight of infrastructure projects.
About: Ruturaj Parikh, Ruturaj Parikh is Founder and Director at MATTER – an architecture, design and publishing firm. His work at matter deals with architecture and curatorial projects with the idea of the diversity and richness of the Indian landscape at the core of the practice. He is the former Director of the Charles Correa Foundation where he led research and public forum initiatives. Ruturaj was an editor at Indian Architect Builder Magazine from 2010 till 2014. As an architecture firm, Matter has worked on small and large residential, commercial, institutional, and civic projects in India with a keen interest in the design of contextually appropriate built environments. The curatorial work of Matter includes research, publications, exhibitions, conferences and digital media with a sharp focus on issues of contemporary practice and pedagogy of architecture in India.
PANEL DISCUSSION
9TH JANUARY 2020
SPEAKERS LIST
RATNAMALA SWAIN, MOHIT HAJELA, NANDKISHOR CHOWDHARY, PREM DEVI, DIPIKA VADGAMA -MODERATED BY RUTURAJ PARIKH