INDIANS CONTRIBUTING IN MAKING INDIA GREAT: SARITA SIROHI

George HW Bush, the former US President's quote "There could be no definition of a successful life that does not include service to others" is an apt reflection of Sarita Sirohi who works to uplift the society and has given back to the society in her own humble way. Born on 04 April 1971 in Bhiwani in an army family to Colonel Ramswarup and Mrs Parmeshwari, Sarita has studied in various schools across the length and breadth of the country as her father would be posted to different places every two-three years, eventually passing her Class XII from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Mhow. Sarita is an outstanding shooter and has won the bronze medal in the National Shooting Championships in 1989. Sarita did her B.Sc from Kota and M.Sc from Hissar where she topped her college and was on scholarship throughout her post-graduation. After getting married to Colonel Robinder Singh Sirohi in 1992, Sarita did her B.Ed and MBA and taught in a few schools where her husband was posted and worked in the corporate too. While working in a chain of cafeterias, she was instrumental in getting the chain awarded the Gurgaon Foodies Award in 2015. As an army officer's daughter and an army officer's wife, Sarita saw many small towns and villages in India and realised that the country had immense talent in the field of handicrafts but few know how to show case their talent and monetise their worth. Sarita had found her inner calling of contributing to the society in her own humble way wherein she realised that helping the women from small towns and rural India would not only empower women but would uplift the society too. With her zeal and determination to be an instrumental force in giving fillip to the

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's clarion call for Nari Shakti (Women Empowerment), Sarita founded a start-up non-profit venture Blue Gypsy in 2017. Sarita started using block prints for her apparels which she gets it made from Tier II and Tier III cities and rural India. It not only makes the women financially independent but also gives them recognition at the international and national level too as many buyers want to link with them directly, which Sarita graciously and gracefully connects them. In her second year of founding Blue Gypsy, Sarita was specially chosen by Walmart to be a part of Woman Entrepreneur Development Programme as a recognition of her work as a woman entrepreneur. Sarita also trains women pro-bono from the under-privileged section of the society who aspire to compete in the fashion and glamour industry as she herself as won many prestigious domestic beauty pageants. And when many such women call up Sarita and tell her of the difference she has had made in their lives, Sarita feels satisfied and it motivates her to work further for the upliftment of the not so privileged women. Sarita truly understands that the pre-requisite for Nari Shakti is that the woman should be financially independent as that is pivotal for a life of dignity and self-respect and has channelised her energies and experience to empower women. Sarita Sirohi has truly lived up to the famous quip of

Susan Elizabeth Philips "Celebrate the success of others. High tide floats all ships". About the Writer – The writer who retired from the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army is an alumnus of NDA, Khadakwasla and IIT Kanpur. He is a M.Tech in Structures has also done MBA and LL.B and is a prolific writer and a public speaker. He has been featured in the World Book of Records, London and the India Book of Records for his media contributions. The writer Tweets and Koos at @JassiSodhi24. The views expressed are personal.