‘Don’t exploit people, don’t exploit the environment’

The founder of Pondicherry based Mandala Appparels, Anjali Schiavina, received The Weekend Leader – VIT Amazing Entrepreneur Award at a function held at VIT University, Vellore. Anjali, who was featured recently in The Weekend Leader’s popular Amazing Entrepreneurs series, is committed to creating jobs for women, and is a strong votary of sustainable business.

Anjali Schiavina, Founder, Mandala Apparels, receiving the award from Dr D Ashok, Dean, VIT Business School (Photos: Avinash)

“Don’t exploit the people, don’t exploit the environment,” she said, in her address after receiving the award from Dr D Ashok, Dean, VIT Business School.

Starting with a single sewing machine and four employees in 2002, Anjali has created jobs for more than 200 women at her factory in Pondicherry. Most women were trained in tailoring by the company before they were absorbed as tailors in Mandala.

The awardee posing for a group photo with VIT Business School students and faculty members

Anjali made a special mention of two men in her life - her father, and husband Aurofilio Schiavina - and said they played a major role in her success.

The Weekend Leader’s Editor P C Vinoj Kumar moderated a panel discussion in which four MBA students from VIT Business School interacted with the awardee on Mandala’s business model and the challenges they faced in their business.

Anjali and P C Vinoj Kumar, Editor, The Weekend Leader (fourth from right) with the B-School students during the panel discussion

The Weekend Leader – VIT Amazing Entrepreneur Award was instituted in 2014 and has been given to several entrepreneurs including Dr A Velumani, Founder, Thyrocare, C K Kumaravel, Founder, Naturals, and B Soundararajan, Founder, Suguna Poultry. – TWL Bureau