We bring stories of women stepping up to the plate when most needed by their families. Life crises such as death of a loved one, illness in the family (or their own) or divorce are pushing women to find creative solutions. Who is to say these women are lesser entrepreneurs than those who came armed with MBAs and/or inherited wealth? Still, who thinks of the ‘local parlour lady’ or the neighbourhood boutique owner as entrepreneurs? Does an entrepreneur lurk beneath every persistent Tupperware lady or the talkative masseuse who comes home on Sundays? Yet, what but ‘social visionary’ can define, say, a 46-year-old who lost her eye­sight in childhood and then starts an offbeat educational venture? Who knows what these women think of themselves? There’s a common strand, though, in the aspirational arc. The parlour lady has no time to scrub floors at home, and the boutique aunty has a new car. They all want to be reborn in the outside world—a world they know exists. The job world may be shrinking out there, but women are in... THIS ARTICLE IS PRICELESS... To read this piece, and more such stories in India's most exciting and exacting magazine, plus get access to our 25-year archives goldmine, please subscribe.

