A country like India which is influenced by diverse cultures and religions over the ages, there are multiple belief systems which also come with their own share of taboos and stigmas. Most of these taboos are based in deep rooted ignorance and also the lack of proper educational awareness among the Indian population. One such taboo, is the stigma surrounding menstruation, because it is treated like a societal evil. The problem is due to the old school thinking which associates menstruation with impurity. While the stigma is one problem, another problem is the lack of means for a large number of women to purchase the necessary sanitary products because of their high price.
This is where a startup named TruCup comes into the picture. TruCup was founded by two women entrepreneurs Shivangi Bagri and Alakshi Tomar. Shivangi Bagri used to have to endure excruciatingly painful periods before purchasing a menstrual cup from Singapore and realised the product made her life better by easing her periods. Being a Yoga teacher and a dive enthusiast, Shivangi’s life changed for the better after using a menstrual cup. It was then she realised how the current market products are misleading women by convincing them to buy products which contain synthetic fabrics, fragrances and chemicals. This motivated Shivangi to come up with the perfect menstrual cup.
Alakshi Tomar on the other hand used to work with schools in the slums of Mumbai and it was there she saw the neglect of menstrual hygiene. The problems she saw while working in the slums coupled with her own sedentary lifestyle during her periods made her switch to a menstrual cup.
The two (Shivangi and Alakshi) became friends in school, and remained so even when they moved to different cities for higher education. A chance WhatsApp conversation between Shivangi and Alakshi led to them realising they are the only two women using cups in a group of 15 friends from school. The two figured there was an urgent need to create the perfect cup for all menstruating women. After months of research and constant design feedback from women who used cups, they came up with a comfortable design.
According to TruCup, one billion pads and tampons are disposed of in India each month. Another 64% of women use cloth for sanitary purposes in India and another 95% of women do not use menstrual products due to taboo/myths surrounding insertion, virginity and hygiene.
Shivangi and Alakshi set out to create demand in a market dominated by sanitary napkins and were able to expand organically to 56 cities through online and offline sales. Women who used their products are their best promoters as they are vocal about the quality of their products and recommend it to other women. TruCup trained more than 1600 women on menstrual hygiene, established partnerships through governmental and non governmental agencies and impacted more than 60,000 women through different projects. Shivangi and Alakshi however have a long term goal to destigmatize the taboo surrounding menstruation and to make the public have conversations on menstrual health and hygiene. TruCup plans to train people of gender roles and how gender roles shape the way people think, organise and know the world. TruCup also provides training on sexual and reproductive health as well as menstruation. Furthermore, TruCup also aims to create awareness about the environmental impacts due to unsafe disposal practices of sanitary napkins and the importance of sustainable menstrual products.
TruCup is bringing a revolution to women’s health with their community awareness programs and their top quality TruCup!
WhatsApp has embarked on a nationwide initiative called Bharat Yatra to empower small and medium businesses (SMBs) across India. This innovative mobile bus tour aims to provide hands-on training and support to help businesses leverage the power of digital technology, particularly through the WhatsApp Business app.
Key Focus Areas
Digital Skill Enhancement: The Bharat Yatra program is designed to equip SMBs with essential digital skills necessary to thrive in the digital age. This includes training on how to effectively navigate the digital landscape and utilize online tools for business growth.
WhatsApp Business App Training: Participants will learn how to use the WhatsApp Business app to connect with customers, share product catalogs, and manage inquiries efficiently. This training is crucial for businesses looking to enhance customer engagement and streamline communication.
Latest Features and Updates: The tour will highlight the latest features of WhatsApp Business, including Meta Verified, which enhances business credibility, and custom messaging options that allow for personalized communication with customers.
AI Integration: Businesses will also be introduced to the potential of Meta AI integration, which can streamline customer engagement processes and boost overall productivity. This aspect of the training aims to familiarize SMBs with advanced tools that can enhance their operational efficiency.
Tour Details
The Bharat Yatra will kick off its journey in Delhi-NCR, visiting bustling markets such as Laxmi Nagar, Rajouri Garden, and Nehru Place. Over the coming months, the bus will cover key business hubs in cities like Gurugram, Noida, Agra, Lucknow, Indore, Ahmedabad, and others. Each stop will feature interactive demos, expert guidance, and personalized support tailored to the unique needs of local businesses.
Impact on the Indian Economy
By engaging directly with businesses across major cities, WhatsApp aims to create a tangible impact on the Indian economy. The initiative aligns with WhatsApp’s broader goal of supporting small businesses and fostering digital growth in India. According to Ravi Garg, Director of Business Messaging at Meta India, “Small businesses are the backbone of India’s economy, and with the right digital tools, they have the power to supercharge the country’s digital transformation.”
Conclusion
As the Bharat Yatra continues its journey across India, it is expected to empower thousands of SMBs, contributing significantly to India’s economic development and digital transformation. By providing essential training and resources, WhatsApp is not only enhancing business capabilities but also reinforcing its commitment to fostering a robust small business ecosystem in India. This initiative builds on previous efforts such as WhatsApp Se Vyapaar, which aimed to upskill millions of traders, further demonstrating WhatsApp’s dedication to supporting India’s entrepreneurial landscape.
Farming has been an integral part of India’s history and culture for ages. It’s been the foundation of the Indian economy, supporting millions of people with food and jobs. Crops and agriculture hold immense importance in Indian society, not just in terms of money, but also in terms of culture, community, and spirituality.
Farming is a way of life for many people in India, but it can be a difficult and unpredictable business and farmers face a number of challenges, from erratic weather patterns to low market prices for their crops. Kheyti is a social enterprise founded in 2015 by Saumya, Kaushik Kappagantula, and Sathya Raghu. The organisation provides sustainable solutions to small farmers in India, helping them overcome challenges and improve their lives.
Kheyti’s flagship product is the “Greenhouse-in-a-Box,” a low-cost modular greenhouse that allows farmers to grow high-value crops year-round, even in unfavourable weather conditions. operates on a subscription-based model, where farmers can purchase a “Greenhouse-in-a-Box” kit or sign up for crop advisory services on a monthly or annual basis. Kheyti.com also earns revenue by connecting farmers with markets and buyers, taking a small commission on sales. They work to keep the costs low by partnering with local manufacturers to produce their products and leveraging tech to provide personalised crop advisory services at scale.
They also provide crop advisory services to farmers, offering personalised advice on crop selection, planting, and management. In total, The company has helped over 6,000 small farmers increase their incomes by an average of 300%. You call them small farmers, Kheyti calls them Smart farmers!
While there are other companies in India that offer similar solutions to small farmers, Kheyti stands out for its focus on sustainability, innovation, and community involvement. It works closely with farmers to develop tailored solutions that meet their needs while focusing on sustainable farming practices. Through its efforts, Kheyti has improved soil health, reduced water usage, and increased yields of various crops.
Looking ahead, Kheyti plans to expand its reach to more farmers in India and beyond and aims to continue developing new products and services that can help small farmers overcome the challenges they face. With its commitment to sustainability and innovation, The visionaries at Kheyti claim it has the potential to transform the agricultural sector and contribute to a more equitable future for all.
Imagine the joy and hope Kheyti brings to struggling farmers in India. With Kheyti’s help, over 6,000 small farmers have transformed their lives, becoming Smart farmers who handle challenges and succeed. With sustainable solutions, Kheyti is not only revolutionising agriculture but also spreading hope for a brighter future.
We live in a rapidly transforming era where humanity is making exponential leaps in technology. Thirty years ago, no one would have believed you could talk to an online voice assistant to create tasks and get things done. Ten years ago, no one would have believed humanity would land robots on Mars. Technology truly has improved the quality of living of every human who owns a smartphone and has access to an internet connection. Voice assistants are slowly replacing manual tasks and making lives easier and efficient. Siri, Alexa, Google Voice Assistant are just some of the widely used artificial intelligence based tools which are employed on a daily basis. Artificial intelligence, which is hailed as the technology of the future is now slowly making its way into much more complex domains like self driving vehicles, quantum computing and also health care.
Suki, a United States of America based startup founded by Punit Soni, developed their own voice assistant which runs on artificial intelligence to simplify healthcare for doctors and other healthcare professionals. In simple terms, Suki is akin to Siri for doctors. While you could order a pizza or schedule an appointment on Siri, doctors could modify, edit and add health records of their patients. Suki is a powerful tool to help doctors with documentation of health records which often take hours of their (doctors) time.
Suki currently focuses on documentation but has the potential to expand its usage to data queries, ordering, prescribing and billing. According to a white paper published by Suki, using its technology increases the time a doctor spends with a patient by 12% by cutting note taking time by 76%. The time which is saved also brings in a financial benefit of $30,000 more in revenue a year on average for doctors.
Suki raised a $ 20 million Series B round from Flare Capital Partners, First Round Capital, and Venrock, doubling its total funding to $ 40 million since its 2017 launch. Suki is also looking to expand its reach in India and has decided to establish Bangalore as their base of operations. India holds a lot of potential for Suki considering the amount of manual work which goes into almost any sector.
It would be interesting to watch how Suki and other similar AI based startups would transform healthcare across the world.
