It was a dream come true for S Arulmozhi (30), to be able to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in person. She is none other than the young woman entrepreneur whom the PM himself had mentioned on several occasions, including one of his Mann Ki Baat address in the year 2017, as an example of woman empowerment and the success of the Union government's schemes among people.
Born in Usilampatti town in Madurai, Arulmozhi was married off soon after she completed her schooling. But this did not stand in her way when she decided to support her husband in running the family. She started her career by availing a loan under the Central Government's Mudra Yojana Scheme for Women and registered herself as a seller at the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) in November 2016. Though her first order, which came after three months of waiting, was a small stamp order worth Rs 247, she was happy nonetheless and continued to answer more such orders in the next few months.
In May 2017, she received the surprise of her life, an order from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) itself, for a thermos flask. "I could not contain my excitement, to be able to supply to the PMO's office. I dispatched the order the same night along with a letter thanking the PM for enabling me to reach this stage," Arulmozhi recalls.
Little did she know that her letter will be noticed by the PM and mentioned in his Mann Ki Baat address the following month. However, Arulmozhi was in for a bigger surprise when she got permission to meet the man himself in Madurai. "He greeted me saying 'Vanakkam' in Tamil. He said he was happy to meet me, and asked me in Tamil 'Ungalukku santhoshama?' (Whether I am happy to meet him?) He also inquired about my progress in the business and wished me success in my future endeavours, surprising me again by saying 'Vaazhthukkal' in Tamil," said Arulmozhi, sharing her experience. "It's the most unforgettable moment and the biggest gift of my life", she added, the joy evident in her voice. She also appealed to aspiring women entrepreneurs to make use of the opportunities under the Mudra scheme and the GeM platform.
