The white goods matriarch

BUSINESSWOMEN OF GUJARAT/ Snehlata Desai

She is a spunky 79-year-old member of the Rajkot business community involved in the sale of white goods.

Meet Snehlata Desai, who has been running K A Desai & Co in the city for the last 43 years. Desai, who recently got the women entrepreneur award from the state government, has studied only till Class XI, but could excel in her chosen field due to her initiative and dedication.

She is also the chairperson of Rajkot Greater Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ladies wing). She was also awarded the brave woman prize and best woman entrepreneur award by the state finance minister at the Rajkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2005.

She did her SSC from Bhavnagar and, after the death of her husband in 1962, took over the electrical repairing business and took it further.

"I took over the business after the death of my husband. My husband started the electrical repairing business with an initial investment of Rs five lakh. At that time, we just did the repairing work for motors, transformers, generators. From such modest beginning, we have come a long way away with our turnover now reaching Rs 90 lakh per annum," said Desai.

A strong believer in hard work, she looks forward to each day for fresh beginning. I always wanted to start my own business, she said.

Explaining further, Desai said, "We are the leader in retailing and distribution of white goods in Saurashtra and Kutch. We have two company-owned shops in Rajkot involved in retailing and distribution of home appliances, refrigerators, washing machines, water heaters, ovens etc."

She is a proud brand ambassador for Voltas and Godrej brands in Rajkot as her company sold the highest number of Voltas refrigerators across Rajkot from 1974 to 1987 and Godrej appliances from 1985 to 2000.

Desai said that she is an old hand in the business (nearly 42-years old), well assisted by her son now a days.

She has five daughters and a son, who is 60-years old with a mechanical engineering degree.

About hobbies, Desai said, "I love cooking, and whenever I get time, I prepare different dishes for my children. I love to live as a simple housewife. Apart from these, I am completely focused on business.