Hyderabad|India|October'2011: Dr. J. Geetha Reddy, Minister for Major Industries, Government of Andhra Pradesh inaugurated the Four-day COWE Trade Carnival here at People’s Plaza, Necklace Road. The COWE Trade Fair is the fifth in the series of annual fairs and is a platform for Women Entrepreneurs to display and market their products to a wider and larger section of society. The COWE Trade Carnival has proved to a great support to small women entrepreneurs. Confederation of Women Entrepreneurs (COWE) is a Hyderabad-based national level organization and country’s Premier Institution for Women thoroughly devoted towards Entrepreneurship Development. The 4-day COWE TRADE CARNIVAL 2011 kicked off today is an exhibition by women for them to showcase women entrepreneurship and will be open to public from 10 am to 8 pm till 16th October.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion Dr. Geetha Reddy expressed happiness to be there at COWE Trade Carnival again this year. She said that COWE has been devoted to developing entrepreneurship in women. She said that their government has been very supportive and has been encougaring women entrepreneurship. From giving portfolios to women in their government to 10 per cent allocation to women entrepreneurs in Industrial parks, their government has been in the forefront. She urged women to come forward and setup businesses and take advantage of the allocations in the Industrial parks. She asked women entrepreneurs to specially come forward in the districts apart from Hyderabad. She said that women entrepreneurs are in no way less and are equal to men entrepreneurs.

Many women entrepreneurs and VIPs participated in the Inaugural ceremony viz. Smt. Shobana Kamineni, Director, Apollo Hospitals; Mr. Bhagvantha Rao, MD, State Bank of Hyderabad; Mr. V. Arumugam, Zonal General Manager, NSIC; Mr. N.V.S. Reddy, MD, Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd.; Mr. A. Karthikeya, Project Director, ZDH / SEQUA and others.

Ms. Sandhya Reddy informed that the COWE’s Trade Carnival 2011 is being organized in association with the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) – Govt. of India, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh and National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC). It is supported with SBH, Margadarsi, NABARD, Apollo Pharmacy, State Bank of India, Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd, SIDBI, TV-9, Kalamandir and Lakhotia Institute of Design. The Carnival has 150 stalls. 100 of them are exclusively for women. The major feature of this trade carnival is that it is not only a platform to exhibit and market the products, but, it also creates an environment to interact with the people who can guide and lead those to be a leading entrepreneur informed Ms. Reddy.

The other uniqueness of this year’s carnival is providing entrepreneur opportunities and guidance under one roof through B2B Meetings with Public and Private Sector giants like BHEL, BEL, Ramky, Food Fats, Fertilizers, CHERMA’S, Meena Bazar, KIMS, Ratnadeep, Kamath Group, Savitar Group, Couth It, Applus Technology and many more.

Many women entrepreneurs shall be exhibiting exclusive products like Solar Lanterns, Herbal Mosquito Repellents, Biodegradable Toilets and many more. The broad spectrum of products to be exhibited, showcased during these four days fair include Apparels, Household items, Jewellery, Diyas, LED Lights, Magic Mop, Solar Products, Cooking Spray, Health & Beauty Products, Designer Bags & Shoes, Shoe Racks, Chocolates, Paintings, Cakes and others. The entry to the carnival is ticketed with a nominal fee of Rs.20/- to encourage serious visitors.

Loan Mela, Cultural Events, Ramp Show of Business Wear, Corporate Quiz conducted by K Circle, Talk Show on Security Measures, and Workshop on Vedic Maths, Kids Art Workshop, and performances by Startrack etc will be organised during the four-day trade carnival. About 25000 footfalls are expected during the four days of the carnival. The entry to the carnival is ticketed with a nominal fee of Rs.20/- to encourage serious visitors.

COWE’s Trade Carnival 2011 offers benefits to both budding women entrepreneurs as well as existing women entrepreneurs. Budding women entrepreneurs and those who want to setup businesses can learn and enrich themselves with the advice and experiences of successful women entrepreneurs.

COWE signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with several northern regional trade bodies such as Faridabad Small Industrial Association, Indian Industrial Association of Lucknow, Mohali Industrial Association, and Srishti-Udaipur Chamber of Commerce for Information Exchange, Trade and Marketing. MoU was also signed with Ramky Group for Entrepreneurship Development Programmes and subsequent handholding in the areas of Secretarial services, Legal Services and Marketing Services.