Fit with Fab
Farzana Begum walks into Fit with Fab each morning in Visakhapatnam, her hijab neatly tucked in place, a logo of her identification. “My hijab is a part of me, just like my strength. It doesn’t limit me; it empowers me,” she says. In a area the place women are typically under-represented, she stands tall. “Fitness is for everyone, no matter what you wear. Strength comes from within,” she provides.
When Farzana Begum misplaced her mom in 2014, she realised how typically women’s well being takes a backseat in households. Determined to alter this, she started advocating for health amongst women, solely to face resistance from households reluctant to ship them to gyms. Undeterred, she pursued certification to develop into a health coach.
Her journey, nevertheless, was not with out challenges. In 2017, a tumour in her backbone required surgical procedure, forcing her to pause. Yet, she moved to Visakhapatnam and began coaching a small group of women on Beach Road. Just as she was gaining momentum, one other hurdle got here in 2019 — a analysis of T-cell lymphoma after a malignant tumour was discovered in her rib. The battle with most cancers was gruelling, with rounds of chemotherapy testing her resolve.
The part was one of many hardest. Looking again, Farzana says: “That setback was a setup for a comeback.” In 2020, post-treatment, she based Fit with Fab, an all-women’s fitness center in Visakhapatnam, making a protected area the place women can practice with out inhibitions. Her journey caught the eye of many, even resulting in an look on a tv present hosted by actor Balakrishna, the place she was honoured in the presence of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.
Farzana believes that women, particularly these in their peri and menopausal phases, must prioritise energy coaching. “It’s not just about fitness; it’s about reclaiming strength at every stage of life,” she says, including, “Women in their 40s and beyond must embrace strength training, take charge of their fitness, and never let societal restrictions define their limits. It’s not just about staying fit but preventing osteoporosis, improving metabolism, and boosting confidence.”
Cocoabuzz
Latha Pudi, founding father of Cocoabuzzz.
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Latha Pudi is redefining cocoa farming along with her sustainable enterprise, Cocoabuzzz. Returning to her agricultural roots in Vizianagaram after years in the company world, she has reworked a standard apply right into a climate-smart enterprise in Andhra Pradesh. As a finalist in IIM Bangalore’s NSRCEL Women Startup Entrepreneurship Programme, Latha is pioneering eco-friendly cocoa farming whereas including worth to the regional cocoa trade.
Founded in 2021, Cocoabuzzz initially centered on post-harvest processing, producing cocoa nibs, cocoa powder, cocoa butter, flavoured cocoa nibs, and vegan cocoa unfold. Recognising a rising demand for high-quality cocoa, she not too long ago expanded her plantation with 1,500 new saplings, set to mature over the following three years. Today, her 2,000-tree cocoa farm sequesters round 20 metric tonnes of carbon yearly.
What units Cocoabuzzz aside is its fruity-flavoured cocoa beans, a specialty in excessive demand. “The climatic conditions in Andhra Pradesh are suitable to grow cocoa. Here, we get one harvest cycle from April to July,” says Latha. To keep constant high quality, Latha plans to combine digital grading and benchmarking applied sciences. Her efforts have already gained traction — Cocoabuzzz has a buyback settlement with Mondelez, a significant world participant in the chocolate trade.
Beyond cocoa, Latha is targeted on supporting farmers who should wait 4 to 5 years earlier than cocoa timber yield earnings. She is creating dietary, plant-based edible merchandise that maximise returns for growers. In June 2024, her startup was chosen for Google’s DigiPivot programme, a six-month digital advertising and marketing coaching initiative in collaboration with the Indian School of Business, Hindustan Unilever, AVTAR, and Off Experiences.
In Andhra Pradesh, the place few farmers enterprise into worth addition as a result of excessive processing prices and considerations about agriculture’s viability for future generations, Latha sees a possibility. With Cocoabuzzz’s 100% sell-out price, she is proving that sustainable farming might be worthwhile. To guarantee year-round productiveness, she has diversified into low season crops like peanuts, white sesame, and coconut to provide cold-pressed oils.
“We are also using soil sensors to monitor humidity, pH, and nutrients, along with automation for farm operations and pest detection,” provides Latha. Even agricultural waste is repurposed — cocoa pod shells are become compost and mulch.
Vidhya
Aparna Kolagatla, founding father of Vidhya.
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Traditional profession counseling typically reduces a scholar’s future to grades and traditional pathways. Aparna Kolagatla, founding father of Vidhya, challenges this norm with a personalised mentorship mannequin that nurtures self-discovery, long-term development, and alignment with a scholar’s true potential.
Vidhya goes past aptitude checks and predefined decisions. “We focus on subject selection, aptitude assessments, interview preparation, and ensuring students balance academics with sports or the arts,” Aparna explains. Shadowing and mentorship are central — like when she guided a 15-year-old scholar torn between positive arts and utilized design. “By connecting with a UI/UX and product designer, the student explored creative technology and industrial design, eventually securing admission to a top design school with scholarships,” says Aparna. Vidhya immediately has mentees throughout India, for profile constructing, interview preparations, hole yr mentoring and summer time college programmes.
Since its choice for the Women Startup Programme at IIM Bangalore’s NSRCEL in 2020, Vidhya has confronted challenges — significantly in gaining credibility. Parents typically evaluate impartial mentoring with massive teaching institutes, and faculties lean in direction of broad-based counselling. “Those who value holistic development appreciate our approach, especially for global opportunities like Ivy League admissions or entrepreneurship. But resistance comes from parents focused solely on traditional careers,” Aparna notes.
Her imaginative and prescient for Vidhya is evident: high quality over enlargement. She goals to construct structured programmes and a powerful community of educated mentors, guaranteeing that each scholar receives the steering they want — not only for fast success, however for a lifelong journey of self-evolution.
“Education should develop self-awareness, adaptability, and real-world competencies, bridging the gap between education and employability, entrepreneurship to create future leaders and change-makers,” says Aparna.
Published – March 06, 2025 05:22 pm IST
