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Phani Rajakumari will participate in an advanced training programme in Germany to promote the herbal campaign
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HERBAL HINT Phani Rajalakshmi's products are simple and earthy
"We hardly care to take note of that little herb called Tulsi in the corner of our garden or those red flowers hanging by the garden wall or for that matter the neem tree, or the tamarind tree standing by the roadside, the thick green hedging in the fields called Kalabandha (aloevera) as elixir to life. We need to be told by foreigners that these plants are THE things for a healthy glowing life and we suddenly start looking at our grandfathers' green properties with renewed interest — that's the irony called India,'' out comes Phani Rajakumari, the brain child behind Vaasanthi Healthcare Products, which has now been hand-picked by the German concern for its aloe-vera based food products.
The recently concluded international training programme for women entrepreneurs (E U-India Network of Women Entrepreneurs & ALEP) has selected Phani for advanced training programme to be held in November this year at Koln, Germany as part of its project funded by the European Commission under the EU-India Small Projects Facility and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. "I was among the first five participants zeroed in during the initial training here early this month. My paper presentation at the end of the training catapulted me to the top square and here I am getting busy with the nitty-gritty of a trip abroad,'' says Phani matter-of-factly. Though there are any number of herbal entrepreneurs with branded products already on the shelf, what sets Phani apart is her down-to-earth mannerism and her conviction about her products that is capped with common sense and scientific reality. "I am basically from a rural background, the fertile planes of the Krishna where as a child and teenager I not only watched my grandmothers, aunts and others lavishly using herbs from karvepaaku to kalabanda for every ailment from common cold to acne. So part of me grew up conscious and convinced of the benefits and permanent cures affected by these fresh herbs. Then of course like all others, I did my masters and joined Nagarjuna Fertilizers in the finance department. It was with my VRS that I had the time to think of pursuing what was close to my heart all these days." As luck would have it, a shop was being leased out next door to her home and she quickly paid part of the money to sell her food products.
They were all made at home by her like gooseberry chutney (high in Vitamin C), karela chutney, black berry powder, fresh tamarind powder and so on. Counselling the customers came naturally to her as she has this trait of caring for people. One session with her is enough to testify this.
Between the food products, was a bottle of purified aloe vera extract, a herbal shampoo which in due course, Phani found to be fast moving than the food!
Since the investment in infrastructure would involve both a lot of know-how and financial muscle, Phani found outsourcing technology the easiest way out. She tied up with a technology entrepreneur here and a few in Maharastra who have been doing the same for bigger manufacturers to cater to her specifications.
"We got to be very careful about the process because these are herbal products. And I've dropped a few makers when I found the quality was not up to my standards. It needs personal presence and attention to get the right specified produce. Today, I am able to get a standardised product from my makers to my satisfaction and well now to the German satisfaction too!'' she says with a laugh.
A range of cosmetic-cum-health products arrayed on her shelves are tempting on two accounts — the purity and pricing.
"Indian tropical climate guarantees 100 per cent efficacy of the herb and its extract that is not possible in the western hemisphere. That is the reason why our raw material is solicited. And in processing, by far West is the best. My tie-up with German manufacturers will be an ideal one,'' she says.
However, Phani has no market outlets in the city. Her Aloe juice, Aloe Hibiscus hair gel, the aloe-jojoba shampoo and hair oil, the herbal tea, the diabetic food supplement and herbal face packs are a safe and certified bet. The heart behind the herb is that of a caring woman and what else can be more creditable!
Phani Rajakumari can be contacted at 55769779- -email: Phani@vaasanthi.com
RANEE KUMAR
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