It was a small shop, in the corner of a building by the main road. As I walked towards it, what caught my eye was the busy woman handling multiple tasks at once. She was on the phone, while typing something on the computer and giving instructions to a young boy who seemed to be watching her very closely… and then, I found out why.
Merchant Navy Officer’s wife Shubhada Godbole chose to enter the world of entrepreneurship so that she could “do something useful”. But what makes her stand out? Read on.
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I travelled the world for 20 years with my husband who is in the merchant navy. When my daughter started school and grew older, I felt like I needed to "do something". I pursued a diploma in computer applications (DCA). Although I had a graduation degree (BSc) in physics, I pursued DCA because it seemed the easiest thing at the time.
I started my own little printing business after I completed the diploma. Over the years, my husband has been my backbone when he has been around, but as a merchant navy officer, he is often away on ship and I realised that “I need to solve my own daily problems” at some point.
I always wanted to start a small business. This, I can do without too much help. Printing and publishing is easy, and I’ve been at it for many years now. Money is not that great, but I am satisfied at the end of the day and that’s what matters most.
My work allows me to meet new people, adhere to new requirements and to fulfil each requirement is a challenge. I have always been short-tempered, and my work taught me to cool down a little!
To be honest, my husband was earning well; earning money was not a priority for me. But I always wanted something of my own.
Nilanjan, the boy who works with me, cannot hear. He needs somebody with him all the time. He has been with me since the last eight years--he is my support system! He can read lips and understand my actions.
I keep another assistant at the shop to communicate with clients during working hours, since Nilanjan can’t. I want to keep more children like him, because that is where I can make a difference. This job is easy to learn for them to do by themselves after a point.
I consider myself lucky. My daughter is married and is a pilot--she flies with Go Air and is often away. We have an adopted girl child; she too is married and has two children.
My message to small business owners and entrepreneurs like me would be to give children with disabilities a chance. Institutes cater to their learning and care up to a point, but what will these children do when they are over 18? If we think about teaching them things they can do despite their disabilities, and if we are a little flexible in the way we handle our businesses--in fact, if every small business owner hires one such child--it would be so beneficial to the growth of society as a whole!