Udupi: Power Parbha will be held at the Mahatma Gandhi Bayalurangamandira, Beedinagudde, Udupi from January 11 to 14.
Speaking to media persons at Udupi Press Club here on January 9, Dr. Gayathri R, President of POWER and Organising Chairperson of Power Parbha-18 said that the Platform of Women Entrepreneurs (POWER) is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) based in Udupi district which has been working for the empowerment of women since the past 9 years. The vision of POWER is to unite women entrepreneurs, inspire them and help them realise their dreams and transform the role of women in business into a dynamic force.
POWER has been organising marketing fairs like Gramotsava to provide a platform for women and rural folk to market their products to a wider community. Due to the demand for more and more opportunities like this, Power Parbha took shape, the first edition of which was held in 2016.
Power Parbha is a festival which celebrates women entrepreneurship. It is a festival conceptualised by team POWER which helps budding women entrepreneurs to showcase their products, services and talent to a wide audience. “We aim to bring into this festival, women who are running small home-based businesses in rural and urban areas of Udupi district, women who have a small business establishment (MSMEs), women who want to scale up their enterprise and women whose hobbies can be converted into a source of income”, she said.
The main objectives of the Parba are:
To provide a platform for women entrepreneurs to display and sell and thereby promote their products.
To bring rural and urban women entrepreneurs under one umbrella.
To promote mutual learning, collective learning between the rural and urban entrepreneurs.
Create awareness among the local community about these women.
Disseminate marketing, management and technical knowledge.
To help women entrepreneurs develop contacts with buyers and networking.
Marketing of products and display of projects of MSMEs which are owned or co-owned by women.
Marketing of products from rural and tribal-run cottage industries.
Help in developing new markets and expand existing markets for these women.
PARBA’18:
There are 170 registrations for stalls. Women from Mysore, Bangalore, Hubballi, Shivamogga, Gadag and also from Mumbai, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan are participating in the event. Stalls have been registered for selling Textiles, Handicrafts, Food, Jewellery, Fashion Accessories, Textiles, Paintings, Home Décor, Cosmetics and many more. Few MSME stalls are also participating in this event. Each registrant will be provided with individual stalls equipped with basic furniture to display their products, electrical connections, lighting uninterrupted power supply and also digital payment facilities. The venue is equipped with ample water sources, toilets, car parking, floodlighting, changing rooms etc. The festival is open to general public.
Pre-event:
As a part of the promotion of this event, POWER is organising a car and bike rally from Rajatadri, Manipal to Udupi and back to Rajatadri. Members of POWER and exhibitors will be participating in this rally. The rally will be flagged off at 4:30 PM on the January 10 by Deputy Commissioner Priyanka Mary Francis.
The chief guest for the inauguration is Pramod Madhwaraj, State Minister for Youth Services and Fisheries. The marketing fair will be inaugurated by Priyanka Mary Francis. The guests of honour are A C Sahu, General Manager and regional head, SIDBI, Bangalore, Ramanand Nayak, Joint Director, DIC, Udupi Dist, Kishore Alva, Executive Director and Joint President, Adani UPCL, Meenakshi Madhava Bannanje, President, Udupi Municipality and Dr. A P Achar, Dean, Corporate Programmes, NITTE University.
During this programme, POWER is recognising a needy women entrepreneur Sundari Bhargava of Puttur (BA from PPC). Since thirteen years, she has been collecting garbage from Nittur and Puttur areas and motivating others to join her work.
The valedictory programme will be held on the January 13 at 5 PM. The chief guest will be Dr. Veena Bannanje, author. The souvenir will be released by Laxman Nimbargi, Superintendent of Police, Udupi Dist. The guests of honour will actress Yajna Shetty, who is a Filmfare award winner, Andaru Deviprasad Shetty, Managing Committee member, FKCCI ,Bangalore, Manjunathaiah, Municipal Commissioner, Udupi City Municipal Council and Satish Kamath, General Manager, Syndicate Bank.
There will be cultural programmes in the evening:
1. Jan 11- X-treamBlast: Manjith and Vasanth Dance Group
2. Jan 12–variety entertainment programme–sponsored by Dept of Kannada and Culture.
3. Jan 13–NrithyaVaividhya–Dr. Manjari, Srishti Foundation
Community service projects:
1. Patient health education camp–by Adarsha Hospital, Udupi
2. Free eye check-up camp–Jan 12, 10 AM to 1 PM by Prasad Nethralaya
3. Free dental check-up camp–IDA, Udupi Branch
4. Neuro check-up camp-National Neurosciences Mission, India
Swacch Bharath–GO GREEN
To emphasise the importance of Cleanliness and Going Green, POWER has a committee which is looking into the right way of waste disposal, minimising the use of plastics, helping business owners to change to a green model and also keep their surroundings and the premises clean and tidy. On Jan 13, to promote the idea of reduce, recyle and reuse, it is having a drawing and painting competition for children in the age groups of 8-10 yrs and 11-14 yrs. Prizes will be distributed to the winners.
Dr. Gayathri R–President, POWER & Organising Chairperson, POWER PARBA ‘18, Pushpa G Rao, Organising Secretary, Parba’18, Renu Jayaram, Advisor, Parba ’18 and Founder President, Rashmi Vijayendra, Chairperson Exhibitors, Parba’18 and Joint Secretary, Sarita Santosh, Chairperson, Pre-event, Parba ‘18, Suguna Suvarna, Treasurer, Smitha Rajneesh, Secretary, POWER, Thara Thimmaiah, Vice President, POWER, Jayashri Bhandari and others were present.
