Class apart

Written by Sunanda Mehta

Vaduj | March 31, 2007 12:00 AM IST

5 min read

A class on finance is in progress. As the business school instructor explains the nuances of investments, loans and credits, the details are eagerly absorbed by the students sitting in rapt attention. Only, it8217;s not a bunch of fresh-faced graduates looking forward to a coveted MBA degree to land them plum jobs in MNCs. This group of seven is made up of people like Chandbi Mulla, a 45-year-old widow who runs a bangle shop, 22-year-old Madhuri Chavan, a homemaker, and 50-year-old Anwar Gulab Munnar, a grandmother of 10, who has been helping her husband repair stoves for the past 30 years.

The setting is Vaduj village in Satara district, 200 km from Pune, and they have plans, these students. Mulla wants to mortgage the land in her village and with the money start an enterprise in Pune where her daughter is settled, Chavan is keen to start an animal husbandry business, while Munnar is intent on setting up her own business to augment her modest income. All of them, of course, are striving to be entrepreneurs.

Which is exactly what Chetna Gala Sinha had in mind when she conceived the Mann Deshi Udyogini or Business School for Rural Women BSRW in December last year. An offshoot of the Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank, a 10-year-old cooperative bank run by women for women, this novel business school aims to provide technical, financial and marketing expertise to women without formal education or to girls forced to drop out of school, to help them start or improve their small-scale enterprises.

8220;We had reached out to thousands of women through our bank8217;s micro-credit schemes and helped them become financially stable. But though it helped generate income, it was only in areas where the woman was already occupied, be it in agricultural activities or her own small bangle or tailoring work. There was no attempt to start an independent enterprise because they lacked the skill and knowledge to do so. So this business school has courses specially designed to empower women to move from retail to wholesale enterprises,8221; says Sinha, the 48-year-old social worker and bank8217;s founder chairman.

A post graduate from Mumbai University, Sinha relocated to Satara more than 20 years ago after marriage. The plight of women in the district prompted the activist to work towards their financial independence, which in turn lead to the formation of the bank in 1997. Today, the bank has four branches and 45,000 women clients.

For a start, three- to 10-day courses have been devised at the BSRW on topics like business start-up, loan options for seed capital, determining selling prices and so on. An important component of the course is confidence building and motivation activities 8220;as most of the women have never had formal education or have never ventured beyond their homes8221;, says Padma Kuber, program officer who underwent a training program at Swayam Sidha in Kolhapur before becoming a tutor. Classes are held within the bank premises, usually in the afternoons, to make it easier for the women to attend. The fee is a nominal Rs 150. Currently, business models concerning the more popular enterprises of screen printing, mid-day meals, bag-making and pre-paid mobile cards are under way.

Since its inception in December 2006, the school has trained five batches, each comprising six women. 8220;Our aim is to train at least 300 women by the end of the first year, of whom we hope at least 70 per cent will turn entrepreneurs,8221; says Sinha, who wants to take the courses to advanced levels three-six months and start mobile classrooms to reach other parts of the district.

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With HSBC having partnered the business school initiative, the graduation diplomas will be certified by both the Mann Deshi Sahakari Bank and the Maharashtra government. 8220;We are also trying for a tie-up with the Yale Business School,8221; says Sinha, a Yale fellow herself.

Stanford and Harvard, claims Sinha, have already shown an interest in carrying out a BSRW case study and in helping them develop the model. Little wonder then that Tiana Wilson, an undergraduate from Boston who is at the bank for a six-week internship, describes the business school as the most revolutionary concept she has seen any MFI come up with.

But, perhaps, the real praise has come from the men in the district. The voluble protests by men against women8217;s bank in 1997 have turned to requests from young men in the village and surrounding areas to start similar ventures for them. The wheel of life has obviously started to turn in the right direction.

Sunanda Mehta

Sunanda Mehta is the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Pune. She is a distinguished journalist, columnist, and author with over three decades of experience in the media industry. Educational background: A merit-lister in her 12 th in CBSE (5th rank in Humanities) Sunanda stood first in History in the Board for which she was awarded the Dr Tarachand Gold Medal. She is a triple-graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (History Honours) from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi, Bachelor of Education, Delhi University (on scholarship) and Bachelor of Communication and Journalism, University of Pune. Professional Background Role: As Resident Editor, she oversees the Pune edition of The Indian Express, managing local news coverage, investigative features, and editorial direction for the city. Author: She is an accomplished author, known for her biographies. Her notable books include: The Extraordinary Life and Death of Sunanda Pushkar published by Pan Macmillan (2019). The book was long-listed for the Atta Galatta award for nonfiction and Auther award for best debut author. Majestic Musings - Translation of poems from 100 year old Badshaian from Punjabi to English (2023) Behind the Big Screen- the untold stories of child actors published by Bloomsbury India (2024) Focus Areas: While Sunanda has reported on various subjects from civic to political to investigative and crime, her forte remains long-form human-interest stories, heritage and gender issues. Core Column: "Against All Odds" Sunanda curates and writes a signature series titled "Against All Odds," which profiles individuals who have overcome significant personal, medical, or professional challenges. Recent notable articles (2025) The Story of Dr. Harinder Dhaliwal (July 2025): A Pune AFMC topper who became a neurologist in Canada despite becoming paraplegic. Jayoo Patwardhan’s Cancer Journey (Jan 2025): How the National Film Award-winning designer defeated cancer. Partha Iyengar’s Emergency mid-air (Aug 2025): The story of how Gartner’s India head survived a massive heart attack during a long-haul flight. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage continues to explore deep personal narratives and Pune’s socio-environmental landscape: 1. Personal Narratives & Closure "'I grieved for him 10 years after his murder, found closure to unsolved case'" (Dec 14, 2025): A poignant feature on Vineet Alurkar, son of the late Pune music legend Suresh Alurkar, and how digitizing his father’s collection helped him heal. "A 40-day journey home: how Christopher Benninger's partner gave him the gift of memories" (Nov 23, 2025): A moving tribute to the late acclaimed architect Christopher Benninger and his final trip to the US. "'After 38 years I finally met my biological mother'" (Sept 28, 2025): Chronicling the journey of an adopted daughter from Zurich searching for her roots in Pune. 2. Civic & Heritage "'Vetal Tekdi belongs to common citizens'" (Oct 20, 2025): An interview with environmental activist Dr. Sushma Date on the community-led protection of Pune’s vital green lungs. "'Military village' Apshinge recalls living through war days" (Aug 12, 2025): A report from a village in Maharashtra where nearly every household has a member in the armed forces, focusing on their legacy and current anxieties. 3. High-Profile Commentary & Investigations "Malegaon blast acquittals: 'I was expecting this verdict'" (July 31, 2025): An interview with former special public prosecutor Rohini Salian following the controversial acquittals. "Grounded, license cancelled... she decided to soar higher" (March 30, 2025): The story of Dr. Harpreet A De Singh, Air India’s first woman pilot from 1988, and her transition to leadership and meditation. Signature Style Sunanda Mehta is known for her empathetic storytelling. Unlike standard news reporting, her features often read like narrative non-fiction, focusing on the psychological and emotional resilience of her subjects. One of her articles in The Indian Express titled 'The Quality of Mercy' was converted into a film Rubaru Roshini produced by actor Aamir Khan. She is a strong advocate for Pune's heritage and environment, frequently using her platform to amplify citizen-led movements. X (Twitter): @sunandamehta and @ExpressPune ... Read More

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