36th Annual Session RISING ABOVE COVID CHALLENGES

Ficci Ladies Organization (FLO) held its 36th Annual Session on May 21, 2020, the first ever virtual Change of Guard ceremony. Very apt in the current scenario, the theme was ‘Rising Above Covid Challenges’.

The session was divided into three segments. Smt. Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI was the Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker of the First Session. On this Occasion, Ms. Reddy announced for the first time in 36 years, a collaboration of FICCI and FLO to empower women economically. “An empowered woman can transform the world and with this collaboration, we look forward to touching atleast 1 lakh women in next 2-3 years and help them to lead a better life”, said Ms. Reddy.

It was followed by the release of the Annual Report, that encapsulates the activities undertaken by FLO pan India in the year 2019-20. Every year, the Annual Session culminates in review of the activities undertaken by FLO, as also the milestones achieved during the year. It brings into focus the progress made by FLO in the objectives of entrepreneurship development and professional excellence.

Shri Om Birla, Hon’ble Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Chief Guest & Keynote Speaker of the Second Session, released FLO’s compilation of around 1200 Grassroots Women in Business, named ‘Invisible Women: Bringing Them To The Front”. A Compilation Of Around 1200 Grassroots Women In Business’.

“This is a compilation of grassroot women in enterprises, who were once landless laborers or poor housewives, are now earning their own livelihoods and becoming self-reliant with small businesses. We may have often seen them selling tea in the corners or selling snacks or even running beauty parlours or tailoring. But these are mostly unorganised and their stories go undocumented”, said FLO President, Harjinder Kaur Talwar.

“Our primary agenda is to create a pool of information on these grassroots women and connect them to the relevant administrative bodies in the Government and facilitate assistance to these women in accessing finance and help them scale up”, Ms Talwar added.

Speaking at the occasion, Shri Birla said to make our Prime Minister’s vision of self-sustainable India, we look forward to FLO’s continued efforts in empowering women in both rural and urban areas. Women are multi-tasker, we need to create a model where every woman sitting at home can be economically independent.

Mr Dilip Chenoy, Secretary-General FICCI addressed the 3rd session and announced the names of the Office Bearers & Governing Body Members of FLO for the year 2020-21. He also suggested if FLO could take initiative to organize sessions on maintaining social distancing amid the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, as the country is about to open up

Jahnabi Phookan, Director, JTI Group took over the mantle as the 37th President of FICCI Ladies Organization from Harjinder Kaur Talwar, MD & CEO at Comvision India Pvt Ltd.

In her acceptance speech, Ms Phookan said that, in her role as the National President, she will focus on empowering women with entrepreneurship capabilities and professional excellence, enabling them to take up new challenges and avail of new opportunities.