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A. PROFESSIONAL PROFILE:

1. Nature of business activities done over the years

Dr. Smt. Shilpa Bayas Verma is a dedicated social worker with a strong commitment to serve underprivileged children and special needs population. In order to impart quality education to the social masses she took up the initiative to set up schools in rural areas.

2. How has the work made an impact on: 

        a. Rural development and entrepreneurship

• Dr. Smt. Shilpa Verma is extremely aware of her social responsibilities and has been actively involved in her work at the Dindoshi Slums. The school in Daund continues to support number of children from EBC. The commitment shown by her in the support and continued running of schools is the proof of her dedication.
• It all started with a very small school in a rural place called Daund near Pune with the sole intention of providing world class education and creating employment / work space for the rural women and to educate rural children. Twenty years back from now, to have an access to puppet theatre, worksheets and teaching aids which were created by local artisans thereby creating employment in rural area was like a dream come true, for the family of peasants living in this area. It also became a regular feature of the Parent teacher meet to witness the farmer families coming in tractors to see the work of their child.
• The children at that time were taught to make Diya’s during Diwali and were sold in Pune stores. The little income generated was then used for better infrastructure other amenities for these students and small gifts were brought for these children.
• Dr. Smt. Shilpa Verma also have always worked for the upliftment of the women. When Tupperware, a multi network marketing company was started, she took the line of products to the rural women and taught them to market the product thus enabling them to become self-sufficient and also learn the strategies of marketing
• When Amway was launched in India, Dr. Smt. Shilpa Bayas Verma took workshops for the farmers and their wives explaining them about "Pursue" which again became a source of second income in the rural household. These women are connected with Dr. Smt. Shilpa Bayas Verma  even today.

• Special workshop are conducted regularly by Dr. Smt. Shilpa Bayas Verma for these women of surrounding rural areas where each women is taught to be self-reliant and support to their families, She also supports these women by generating employment at her one of the masala unites at Daund school, Nani Ka Masala which a popular brand in western Maharashtra.  

Weaving a new story....

• A true social worker, entrepreneur and philanthropist at heart Dr. Smt. Shilpa Bayas Verma has always been sensitive to the needs of distressed people. From last 12 years Dr. Smt. Shilpa Bayas Verma  has been successfully running the business of handloom sarees with the vision of not only providing employment to the weavers and rural women but also utilising the income for the education and upliftment of the underprivileged children.
• Covid Pandemic world over created a great amount of financial turbulence for the Indian weavers. During lockdown every artisan in the country struggled to put food on the plate, for a roof over their heads and indeed for their very survival.
• With the vision of making her own small contribution in helping the weaver community, Dr. Smt. Shilpa Bayas Verma travelled extensively to various parts of India...talking to the weavers and identifying their challenges.

And thus,

• Kairavee. weaves and looms was born...
• Kairavee. signifying beauty of moonlight ...

• The moon with its radiance and elegance illuminates everything around her. The impact of the moonlight is such that even a red rose appears white in its light. Just like the moon that spreads its light in dark, Kairavee envisions to bring a ray of hope and possibilities in the lives of the weaver community.
• Kairavee is an online venture started to support the handloom industry which is the next major professional group after the farmers in India, Smt. Shilpa Bayas Verma believes the short-term goal of this initiative is to make the craftspeople economically secure enough to see them through the worst of the crisis but in the long run help them retain the skill of the rich traditional Indian handloom industry.  The income generated would not only support the weavers but will also be utilised in supporting education of the children in rural areas who have not been able to attend school from last two years.

• Kairavee envisions is not only to generate employment opportunities for the weavers but also to the small artists residing in the rural areas. These artists create designs for Kairavee sarees which are then converted into punch cards and handed over to the weaver who then beautifully weaves it in his palette of loom, bringing to life not only the artist’s imagination but   also joy and      hope in their lives. 

• Dr. Smt. Shilpa Bayas Verma appeals to all to support our local artisans by purchasing the Swadeshi thus helping the weavers bringing back their normal economic cycle. She believes that the intangible cultural heritage which got threatened by the Pandemic can be saved with the combined efforts of everyone.

INDIVIDUALS 

• Considering her background these achievements do not come as a surprise. She comes from family that takes their duty towards country very seriously. The Bayas is an old Rajput Kshatriyas family from Baiswara is a subregion of Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh India, Baiswara was established by Bais Rajput king Abhaichand Bais. He was the 25th generation of Raja Harshvardhan of Thaneshwar, his descendants are called Bayas Rajput’s, the Bayas who then chose to settle down in Maharashtra.

• Dr. Smt. Shilpa Bayas Verma's grandfather Late Shri. Mohansingh Banktasingh Bayas was a retired IPS officer who continued to work incessantly for supporting retired policemen, teachers, and other service officers. Dr. Smt. Shilpa Bayas Verma's father Shri. Prithvirajsingh Mohansingh Bayas is a retired IAS officer who continues to remain active in various areas of social cause. Her mother Smt. Sulbha Bayas is a daughter and granddaughter of freedom fighters and now runs an independent business unit, which was originally started by Dr. Smt. Shilpa Verma, which supports women from below the poverty line with employment.

• Dr. Smt. Shilpa Bayas Verma was married in 1993 to Shri. Sanjay Kumar Verma (Tomar), a Kshatriya IPS officer of 1990 batch from UP and working with Maharashtra Cadre. They have three children and both Shri. & Dr. Smt. Shilpa Bayas Verma continue to take an active interest in family’s various social responsibilities.

3. In what way work be regarded as:

• INNOVATIVE: We along with the weaver community are constantly analysing the handloom weaving technologies, designs, marketing strategies - often without calling this innovation.

• This demonstration of innovation in handloom contradicts the older image of handloom seen as a piece of art only to be displaced in museums.

4.PROSPECTS OF CONTINUITY AND POTENTIAL FOR FURTURE DEVELOPMENT:

• Plan to expand Kairavee brand with stores- in - stores and also export niche products to USA and UK along with overseas exhibitions. We also plan to launch a pension scheme for weavers in our network.
• The profit generated will go into the welfare of weavers and for providing free education to the children from EBC background in rural sector.

• Involve more women to work in rural sectors both in Handloom and Education sector to generate additional income for the family.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Details of any awards, prices, recognition received by the nominee in the past.

• HAS TO HER HONOUR OF BEING FELICITATED BY THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF INDIA HER EXCELLENCY SMT. PRATIBHA TAI PATIL.
• 25 MOST IMPACTFUL WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
• AWARDED THE 100 MOST IMPACTFUL WOMEN WORKING TOWARDS SOCIAL CAUSE.
• BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD 2022
• IN THE CATEGORY OF EMERGING CLOTHING HANDLOOM COMPANY OF THE YEAR.
• INCREDIBLE WOMEN ACHIEVERS AWARD
• ASIA AWARD FOR PROMOTION ON INDIAN HANDLOOM INDUSTRY
• ASIA AWARD IN RECOGNITION OF ACCEPTIONAL WORK IN RURAL EDUCATION
• EXCELLENCE IN IMPARTING QUALITY EDUCATION IN RURAL
• RECEIPENT OF THE BHARAT GAURAV RATAN SHREE SAMMAAN ORGANISED BY WORLD HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION COMMISSION
• RECEIPENT OF HONORARY DOCTORATE IN LEADERSHIP MANAGEMENT AND TRAINING
• PRESENTLY APPOINTED AS SENATE MEMBER AT THE SAVITRAIBAI PHULE PUNE UNIVERSITY.
• HER INSIGHTS WHICH ARE CIRCULATED THROUGH HER COLUMNS IN LOKMAT WHICH IS A POPULAR NEWSPAPER WIDELY READ IN RURAL MAHARASHTRA.