Women Social entrepreneurship is vital for our future. Collectively we can make a change by closing the gap between men and women in the workforce.
Entrepreneurs are those adventurous, daredevils who drive deep into the pressing problems of society and try to find solutions to them, not by leaving the responsibilities in the reins of the government or business, but by trying to change systems as a whole and persuading societies to take new initiatives.
In our Inner Wheel Social Entrepreneur series in this episode we are introducing you a very dynamic and popular face of International Inner Wheel Dist. 316 who always believes in Women Empowerment and social entrepreneurship . Yes we are talking about Mrs. Jyothi Laxman District Chairman of Inner Wheel District 316 , she shared her Inner Wheel journey and Lockdown experience with Hello Womeniya.com Correspondent Priyanka Yadav
Hello Womeniya : Please share your first reaction and feeling on being District Chairman.
Mrs. Jyothi Laxman : I felt I am blessed by god and I have been given a very good opportunity to serve the humanity, environment by leading in the front. It was a sense of determination to fulfil the dreams I had dreamt one year before-being the vice chairman (the planning year) to work for the social upliftment through motivating all the clubs in my district. As a leader, I have a desire to bring more and more leaders to carry out the duties sportively,
Hello Womeniya : What will be your priority in the growth of your Dist.316?
Mrs. Jyothi Laxman : Membership growth of our Dist. 316 is my utmost priority. I also want to increase the number of clubs – a qualitative increase in my district would be the priority. I wish I can dispose the essence of Inner Wheel in the nook and corner of my district. The motto of Inner Wheel – friendship and service is my prime priority in spreading throughout-inside and outside Inner Wheel.
Hello Womeniya : What are the current challenges that your District is facing due to this post pandemic?
Mrs. Jyothi Laxman : Due to pandemic, most clubs have lost the membership. There is severe decline in small clubs. Public functions, gatherings, service programs is still a difficult task to conduct. Due to total lockdown and shut down of schools and colleges, lot of activities for child welfare and health programs for school children are not conducted. District events are not conducted physically.
Hello Womeniya : What is your future agenda to solve these problems?
Mrs. Jyothi Laxman : Steps are being taken to overcome this feat of declined in membership. We have quite new clubs opened and few members have rejoined again. We are able to conduct out district events virtually involving more number of members (attendance) which denotes successful completion of events. We all have learnt to live with the post pandemic. We have learnt to protect ourselves from the deadly disease by wearing masks, sanitizing, washing hands regularly. We have educated the schools, women at home, working class and have distributed masks and sanitizers to school going children widely, for their health protection.
Hello Womeniya : Share your Inner Wheel journey with us
Mrs. Jyothi Laxman : Since my inception as Inner Wheel member, my exposure to the society has brought positive attitude in me. I have been attracted by the motto of Inner Wheel Friendship & Service” which has introduced me to a lot of friends in the whole district and even at intra district. My knowledge regarding Inner Wheel has widened. I have been exposed to the wonderful digitalized world. I have learnt to use the E equipments very efficiently by participating in virtual meets and this is because of necessity is the mother of Invention. I have been able to take right decisions at right time. I have been brought to good acquaintance with a lot of govt. officials and this is all happened because of my Inner Wheel exposure. In total, I say my journey of Inner Wheel has given a different dimension and out look to my life.
Hello Womeniya : Could you please share your lock down experience and your District performed during this difficult time?
Mrs. Jyothi Laxman : It was the time when the beds in hospitals were full. Food was given to the patients. But the attendees has to make their own facility. We from Inner Wheel, have donated food for the attendees each day continuously for more than 100 days. Medicines was given to patients. Oxygen concentrations pulse oximeters, digital thermometers were donated. Sanitizers, Masks were generously donated to students poor and needy people. Awareness regarding the pandemic was given widely. Single parented children due to covered were supported for their education and livelihood. Tabs were distributed for the 10th class children which helped them to learn by online. Apart from all the above, we personally have been benefited by hygiene and health consciousness. We have learnt extensive using of computers and mobiles during the virtual meetings.
Hello Womeniya : What is your appeal and message to women in Inner Wheel?
Mrs. Jyothi Laxman : “Charity begins at home”. As the leader in front line, I call upon my fellow Inner Wheel members to support the livelihood of poor and needy affected by the pandemic. I appeal to all my friends in Inner Wheel to focus on eradicating the social problems and prejudices. Let us concentrate on giving good education to the future generation. Let us given room for woman entrepreneurs and let them build their lively hood independently. Let us bring more and more awareness in women in rural areas and update them the present and current affairs. I appeal my dear sister in Inner Wheel to engage themselves more and more in service programs which will benefit the poor and needy. I also request my pals in Inner Wheel to attain more knowledge on Inner Wheel and adopt the essence of Inner Wheel so that they all can live upto the mark as Inner Wheel expects from us. Think what you can give to the society and Think not what you can get from the Society.
Hello Womeniya : Do you agree that this pandemic has brought about a lot of changes in your personal and professional life?
Mrs. Jyothi Laxman : Certainly yes, Before Pandemic, we the women folk were more dependent upon our life partner for everything in our daily lives. Our exposure was very limited. But now as the things have changed, we have learnt to be independent in our daily activities. We are able to use the computers and other gadgets very efficiently. Our family bondage has strengthened giving a boost to improved relations. Being at home for long period has given us enough time for maintaining our health and wealth (as limited and no outing has saved us money). Our mental health is also improved a lot because we had lot of scope for doing Yoga, meditation regularly.
Hello Womeniya : Can you highlight certain service projects you did during this pandemic?
Mrs. Jyothi Laxman : From the very first day as my chairman, as per my request, all the clubs have conducted free plantation programs under environment protection. The women entrepreneurs our being recognised and needed support and help is rendered for them to carry out their business / trade / small scale industry under Stree Shakthi. Health awareness camps, vaccination centers are being done, free medicines are distributed under the health. Inner wheel members are being taken outside for a small excursion under recreation. I must mention here that our Inner Wheel club Chitradurga is about to complete its 50 years of social service under Inner Wheel Banner. To commemorate this year, we are building a community hall for Inner Wheel Programs. Inner Wheel members of Chitradurga and myself are engaged in bringing out this building. We are proud to say we sum various programs for senior citizens, keep meeting them every week, arranging discourses for them and taking them for small outings under old age caring. We have also conducted awareness programs on drug addictions for college students-under education on social evils.
Hello Womeniya : Being a social entrepreneur what is your goal and vision about the upliftment of the society?
Mrs. Jyothi Laxman : As our Inner Wheel organisation demands the service a top priority, we are always concerned about the upliftment of society. Having the clubs in all the nook and corner of the district, we the members are always ready to help natural disasters affected people by providing them amenities temporally or permanently. We join our hands with Rotary services which may be Polio eradication or literacy programs. We help projects under water conservation, protection of environment, help the girl child, and many more such. We always look forward for new challenges of any kind and be ready to render of helping. We have always believed in Helping hands are better than the praying lips.
Brief Introduction of International Inner Wheel :
International Inner Wheel Club is an international women’s Social organisation to create friendship, service and understanding. It has clubs in over 100 countries with over 100,000 members.IWC has very strong presence in India. It has more than 3000 thousands clubs in Urban and rural India. Since the Covid 19 Pandemic breaks out Inner wheel club launched charity campaign worldwide. In our Inner wheel Social entrepreneur series in this Episode we are introducing very popular face of IWC, she doesn’t need any kind of Introduction.
Brief Introduction of District Chairman 316 (for 2021-2022) :
Mrs. Jyothi Laxman
Mrs. Jyothi Laxman was born on 9th March in Spiritually oriented family as a third child of Sri G.S. Maruthi and Smt. Vishalakshamma. She has a elder sister Smt. Lakshmi, elder brother Sri Ramesh and younger sister Smt. Vani. She did her schooling in BMGH School, Challakere and college education at HPPCM upto the completion of her degree in Challakere itself.
As she was from a family which was always into social work, her mother being the charter president of Vasavi Mahila Sangha, Challakere, served for 7 years and also worked in various organizations and her father being the member, director of many clubs and good business men, she was also brought up with same culture. She was very active and has participated in many social events since her childhood. She was a very good kho-kho player and very active participant in athletics also.
She got married to PHF Rtn. A.R. Laxman, past AG of Rotary Dist 3160, a well settled Business man from Chitradurga, who is very soft hearted, understanding and a very supportive person by nature. She is a proud mother of 2 daughters. Elder one Mrs. Deepthi married to Mr. Varun, she is a Assistant Public Prosecutor in the court of Chitradurga, and second daughter Mrs. Preethi married to Mr. Vyshak, Environment Engineer. She is a loveable grandmother of three grand sons. With the support of her husband who always wanted her to serve the society got attracted to Inner Wheel for its Motto – Friendship and Service.
Got inducted and joined Inner Wheel in the year 2000-01 with the motivation of PDC Mrs. Anuradha Manjunath as a member, She served as Mrs. Jyothi Laxman District Chairman / Deputy AC Member 2021-22 District Chairman Editor, ISO, Joint Secretary and became Secretary to PDC Mrs. Shyamala Shivaprakash and served as President in the year 2007-08 at club level under the Chairmanship of Mrs PDC Anuradha Manjunath. She enjoyed every single post. She served and was also awarded as “Best Secretary”and Öut Standing Best President”for her work. She was the Rally Chairman, Assembly Chairman and also Conference Chairman.
In this Journey she mentions PDC Mrs. Bhagya Murthy for all her helps & she tells that she is her go to person for every issue she faces. Her service journey continued and she entered Dist. EC in the year 2015-16 with the support of PDC Mrs. Veena Swamy as ISO, and has served as Dist. Editor, Dist. ESO, Dist. Secretary, Dist. Vice-Chairman. And now she will be leading the Dist. 316 as a Dist. Chairman for the year 2021-22.
She was also president in Vasavi Mahila Sangha, Chitradurga for the year 2010 to 2012 and has done tremendous programs like “Blind Children Concert”, “Laksha Deepothsava”, “Mega Hosie”, are a few from the list. Not just the above she was also part of many other organizations. Recognising her service sector she has been honoured with various awards. Being an aspirant person, her thrust for serving has made her to serve as a founder for a dance school “GLOGLIT” for years and presently she and her husband have opened, “Shanthinikethana”which can be called as a joyful gathering for senior citizens, initially supported by RedBulls Team (Started with 20 members-now reached 100 members and above).
She has a passion towards spirituality. She loves cooking, reading books, playing Veena, Listening Music. “Be good and do Good”is the motto of her life “Simplicity and being oneself”is the biggest weapon of her life.
