Bijiyashanti

Sombram Vijayasanthi Devi is the founder of Sanat Sanat Sambhava Private Limited. She started the organization in 2018 after completing her graduation in botany. Her area is surrounded by water and has a lot of water-loving plants like lotus. She wanted to convert lotus waste into useful products like lotus tea and lotus fabric. Her organization employs 30 women and provides them with alternative livelihood opportunities. She faces challenges in marketing the new product and the long process of making lotus fabric. She has received recognition and awards for her work, including being mentioned on the Prime Minister's radio program. Despite challenges, she remains motivated and has made a positive impact in her community. Yeah, yeah, you can ask. All right, all right. Can you help me with your full name? My name is Sombram Vijayasanthi Devi. Okay, thank you. Can I ask your age if that's all right? My date of birth is 1993-02-03. Thank you so much. Can you tell me a little bit about your organization, the name, and how it started? Yeah, yeah, let me introduce first. My name is Sombram Vijayasanthi. I'm the founder of the Sanat Sanat Sambhava Private Limited. I started this work in the year 2018 after my completing the graduation. Actually, my subject is botany, so I love plants to do that. My area is mainly surrounded by water, so there are a lot of plants which are water-loving plants. Lotus is one of the water-loving plants, and lotus is mainly abundantly in my area. But in that time, lotus has a waste, but the idea is to convert the waste to well, that's all. Correct, correct. That's just quite a lovely thought. Can you also tell me your location, where it could be? Yeah, yeah. My area is Manipur, and the capital is Inphal. From the airport, my village is nearly 50 kilometers far from the airport. You know Loktak Lake is one of the freshwater lakes in Asia. So, Loktak Lake is the freshwater lake. It's near my village. That's wonderful. I mean, I've just been looking at pictures, but it just looks so beautiful. My village is very beautiful. It's surrounded by the water and lots of natural the sangai, you know? Or is that animal? Oh no, I think your voice is breaking. Hello? Yeah. Yeah, you were saying something about the national park? I can't hear you anymore, ma'am. Huh? Yeah, I was not able to hear you. Yeah, am I audible now? Yeah, yeah, got it. Can you, yeah, you didn't mention that you're the founder of the organization. Are there any other affiliations? Along with me, I'm working with 30 women right now, but this time also increase the number of the women which are living in my area. Only the fishing is an option for the occupation. Okay. We have farming and fishing, but the fishing is not suitable for the women. So, I want to give opportunity, employ to the, mainly to the women. Well, that's a very, very good thought. Yeah. Okay, last, I mean, one of the last questions in this section. Can you tell me about your years of experience in the sanitation sector, in the wash sector? I completed my graduation in 2014. During my graduation, also, I have planning to do something after completed. In that time, also, I'm thinking about a plan which has medicinal values of to human beings. There is a lot of plants which are grown in the Loutak Lake. Loutak Lake is, it's one from the, it's a vegetation. It's floating on the water. Many plants are grown. So, medicinal plants are a lot of medicinal plants, but we don't use that. But the lotus is the nascent flower of India, also. And lotus is very abundant, but we are using only for religious purposes. And the lotus has a wave, and the stem also waves under the water after plucking the flower. And the lotus has also a lot of medicinal values. And first, I want to convert the lotus flower, whole petals is to tea, tea leaves, herbal tea. The lotus tea is very famous. Yeah, lotus tea is very famous in Vietnam. And Thailand, Cambodia. But we also try to do, we want, in that time, I want to try that tea leaves, also. After making the tea, the stem has a wave. The stem will convert and use a very well useful product, also. The fabric one, lotus fabric, is one of the most eco-friendly fiber. And people are loving to wear that fabric, also. And the lotus fabric is different from ordinary cloth. It has a lot of health benefits when we wear the lotus cloth. If you can find, we will find through Google, also, the benefits of the lotus fabric. I mean, that is a very, very innovative thought, as well. Yeah. I'm glad that it's going well. And people are also appreciative of it. Can I ask you some questions on... So, what was your family's reaction when you wanted to start something like this? Uh, when I started this work, people are also thinking that it was not possible to do. But this is the first time in India to make lotus fiber from the stem of the lotus. People are not aware about this. But some people know about this when they were going to Myanmar, Cambodia. They see how to make the lotus fiber in their places. But in India, the lotus fiber is not aware of that. But my family also first thinking, but they helped me fulfill my dream. That's nice. That is really nice to hear. How has your experience in this sector, in the sustainability sector, in the innovation sector, if I may, shaped your perspective on challenges, again, in the sanitation sector? Yeah, I have a lot of challenges in my surrounding area, also. Lotus, from the stem of the lotus, I will extract the fiber. But somebody has told me that it is not possible to make the cloth and its strength is not good. People are saying like this. But I want to do something to sow the fiber, that lotus fiber. But this is a new product. New product. People are not aware about that. But marketing level is very difficult to sell the new product one. That's the challenges I face in my work. Thank you so much for sharing that. But again, this is something that has not been done in India. This is a very innovative solution. And also, I'm sure it offers these livelihood opportunities to the women that you work with. So, what other opportunities do you see in the sustainability sector right now? For sustainable sector, nowadays, people are one buying two cloths, also sustainable type of product. But compared to the other synthetic fiber or plastic, but they cause the pollution, different type of pollution, you know. But textile sector also cause many pollution. When we wear the cloths, we don't want to put them, we throw the garbage. That cloth also cause pollution. Yes. From this problem, I want to replace that synthetic fiber to eco-friendly fiber. The fiber is to the soil. It decomposes by natural process. It does not cause any harmful effect to the soil and to the mother earth also. That's why the sustainable product is very important in any sector of the work. Absolutely agree with you on that. Can you tell me, apart from all of these factors, what motivates you to go to work every morning? What motivates you to continue working in sanitation, in sustainability? Pardon, please. I'm just asking, can you tell me what motivates you every single day to keep on doing this? You've mentioned there have been challenges, right? How do you keep on showing up every day? Yeah, this time, some foreigners are also approached to buy the cloths. My product has a limited stock because of taking so much time to make one small scarf, one small product, and sometimes some customers also want to buy a sari. It's a big one. It takes so much time for making one sari. It's also a challenge to me because from the extraction to the weaving, it's a long process. Yeah, this problem. Thank you so much for that. I'll just quickly go on to the next question. Can you share some numbers? Can you share some achievements and milestones in your career? Like, you know, where people have supported you, where you've been able to showcase your work at a larger platform? Yeah, I have got some net platform also. My biggest achievement is the Prime Minister of Manikibad program. My work has mentioned, this is Manikibad, and people are also knowing about where is the Lotus Fabrics found in India. That's the big achievement in my life. And other some award also I have got the Rising India Real Heroes. It's organized by the NDCB. And Piki Filos Award, it's organized by, I forgot that name. I will share on my resume on your WhatsApp. And some award also I have got, I have forgotten that. And I will share about it. Sure, sure. No worries. And then the Dalmia Young Achiever Award also I have got, organized by the Dalmia Cement. That's wonderful. And congratulations. I mean, this is the work that deserves to like, you know, get everyone's attention. So congratulations on that. Can you share like a memorable story? Like, you know, during your entire like 10 years of working, can you share like something that's very interesting that's happened, very inspiring? Yeah, the most memorable moment in my life is in the morning of the mention of Manikibad Prime Minister on radio program. When I wake up, when I was wake up in the morning, somebody has called me and to tell about it. Your name has mentioned on Manikibad. That's the most memorable moment in my life. I can imagine. It must be like, must feel so proud. That's wonderful. In while working with, while working with women, right? Like some 30 plus women. Uh, what are the challenges that have come up with working like, you know, while working with the women, but also what are some of the interesting things that happen? Hello? Yeah. Can you hear me? Yeah, yeah. I'm just asking, while you work with all these 30 plus women, what are some of the challenges that you face? It's difficult to work with such a large group, right? It's not difficult for me. I started my work when I was 24 years old. In that time also, I'm facing a lot of problems in the colleagues of 10 years. But this day also, it's not difficult for me, I think. That's quite, quite interesting. Um, how do you make it easy then? Um, easy then, uh, I can manage all and my, I motivate myself to do my work. Yes. That's lovely. That's lovely. Um, has there ever been, um, has there ever been a point where you thought of like, you know, sort of giving up or stopping this? And then what kept you more motivated? The motivation is very important when I got ups and downs. It's very important. That's true, true. Um, can you, can you tell me a little bit about the impact of your work? I know like monkey bars was a huge feature, but then because of that, uh, do the people in your city, in your village, uh, look at you differently? Are they proud of you? Um, but then this is the first time in India to make the Lotus fabric that also, uh, because of that, uh, India also, uh, stand up for production of the Lotus fabric. That's the reason we are proud. Oh, that's lovely. That's lovely. Um, do the people in your city like know about this? Uh, are they happy? Are they proud? Yeah, some, uh, some, uh, among the, some people has, uh, know about this. Oh, lovely. But yeah, I know local TV channel also interviewed to me, uh, they, uh, uh, for exposing our work. Oh, that's nice. Uh, what's your, uh, sort of five-year vision for the work and also how it contributes to, uh, climate, how it contributes to sustainability? Where do you see like your, uh, company and your efforts in the next five years? From next five years, I have planning to establish one industry of Lotus fabric, the house of the Lotus, uh, to, um, to make that I plan in my, uh, to do this. Oh, that's nice. That's really nice. Um, and how many people do you think that will employ? How many people? Uh, my local, uh, women are also, uh, train myself. They also know more about the section of the fiber and some, uh, local women are also engaged my work. They also love to do it because the thing is the main occupation in my area. But instead of that, do you think that what is very suitable for the woman they are working at home? Thank you so much for that. Uh, how do you think in the next five years? Yeah. Can you hear me? Yeah. Um, how do you think in the next five years, uh, sustainability as a field will change? I know currently there are very few women who are working in the field, but how do you as a field will change? I know currently there are very little such initiatives, right? But in the next five years, do you think there'll be more people who are aware more people who want to do this? Yeah. Yeah. More people to expand the business. Also, we want to, uh, more get, uh, in, uh, customer from all over the world, but this time also, uh, some customers from Texas. Uh, Italy also approach to buy, and we also plan to do, uh, collaborate with other European countries also for expansion of the business. Well, that's nice. Um, can you, okay. Can you tell me, uh, can you give me a message for, uh, the youth, for other people who wants to follow your example? Yeah. Um, hello? Yeah, go on. Yeah. But, uh, from my young age, I started this work, but some people, uh, they don't have, uh, thinking they don't have no work to do, but, uh, I want to, uh, I want to tell them, uh, something, uh, uh, do you want, uh, to get something, uh, you do, uh, more. Oh, that's lovely. Like to have a direction in life is very important. Uh, I, I think that is, uh, also my side. Um, can you share some pictures, some photos that we can also publish with the story? Yeah, I will share to you all the photos about the product. And when I go to the river by boat, that also I will share to you. Sure, sure. Uh, but right now, can you, uh, today or like tomorrow morning, can you share two or three, uh, photographs of yourself? Like a portrait photograph? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I will share. Perfect. Um, thank you so much. Do you have any questions for me? No question. All right. All right. Uh, yeah. Thank you for giving me the time. Uh, no, I'm, it was an honor and honestly, it was like a privilege to talk to you. I know the kind of amazing work that you're doing. So, uh, please, yeah, please keep at it. And thank you so much for taking the time out. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. Bye.