Daily Archives: May 26, 2008

I was amazed to get this news about Ma’am Jalota. How Cool!

A winner of the Outstanding Women Entrepreneur Award of the Federation of Indian Chambers for Commerce and Industry (FICCI) for 2002-2003, Manju is one of the few people who have entered the heartland of the traditional crafts of chikankari and zardozi in Uttar Pradesh and secured business for the Muslim women there.

Head of the Department of Geography, St. Francis College, Lucknow, Manju chucked her job to involve herself in the traditional crafts. “My job as a teacher was satisfying but my time was never my own. There was always something – the Board exams, being on the ICSE panel or commitment to see my students through Class X.”

A stage came when Manju finally decided that family commitments had to take precedence. Turning away from her career of 18 years was, however, easier said than done. “I had been a salaried person all my life and couldn’t give up on the security it provided.”