By their very nature, humongous gated communities are home to a diversity of talent. When dwelling units abound, at least one resident-expert in every area of specialisation is guaranteed. As a resident of a sprawling gated community at Egattur in OMR, House of Hiranandani Upscale, Kavitha Giri has had a ringside view of this phenomenon.

She is the prime mover behind Nova, an inclusive women’s expo that provides a platform for talented women from the gated communities on OMR to sell products they have made as entrepreneurs and homepreneurs. Besides clinching sales at the expo, they can tell their stories, network and grow their enterprises.

Organised by Gutsee Foods, in association with Rotary Club of Chennai Spotlight, the event will be held on April 14 at Hindustan College of Arts and Science in Kelambakkam.

As main organiser of Nova, Kavitha says they have reached out to close to 250 gated communities as this event showcases the talent coming out of those very communities.

Each stall, she says, tells a story of initiative, creativity and resilience.

Here is what Kavitha wants you to expect from Nova: expect to meet women who juggle a full-time job with a love for cooking; ‘home chefs’ who have expanded the scope of their food business beyond their community gates. Lest the reader assume that Nova is only about homegrown food brands, there would be stalls showcasing handcrafted goods, products born out of wellness ventures. And fashion labels would also turn up. Among the participants who have registered include a 25-year-old entrepreneur under the label ‘Ninaivu by Kamali’ who will present her handmade bouquets and resin artworks; a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law duo would display handmade crochets; visitors would get to pick the brains of a mom who does wall murals decorating homes. At the ‘⁠Buddha Bowl’ stall, one would meet someone who has has managed to be a foodpreneur despite meeting the demands of a corporate job. And Pam’s by Priyanka from Singapore will be showcasing hand-painted art saris.

Members of the weaving community from Kancheepuram are also taking part in Nova.

Inclusive hiring

There would also be stalls that make a powerful statement about inclusive hiring, indirectly promoting it. Gutsee Foods, which specialises in artisanal breads, is one of them. “People working for us are dyslexic and have learning difficulties. Besides showcasing our pure vegetarian and vegan bakes, we are setting an example in inclusive hiring and we are happy to tell visitors how we go about training these young employees and the roles we give them,” says Kavitha, who is an entrepreneur herself, running two businesses, one of them being Gutsee Foods.

Federation of OMR Residents Association is the community partner.

Plastics of any kind are discouraged at the event. Kavitha adds that a small portion of the funds collected through sponsorship will be used to improve washrooms at the government school in Kazhipattur.

For stall bookings, contact Kavitha Giri at 9176409997.