RTM Nagpur University’s Department of Home Science hosted the annual ‘Entrepreneurship and Health Expo’ on the 18th Oct. Vice Chancellor Dr S R Chaudhari inaugurated the exhibition in the august presence of Dr Sanjay Kavishwar, Dean, Commerce & Management of RTMNU . This event offered a free of cost platform to the budding entrepreneurs and aspiring students of the department to exhibit and sell their products and services.
HoD Dr Kalpana Jadhav takes pride into the distinct trait of the expo that 26 out of 28 exhibitors were female entrepreneurs this year. The exhibitors include eight current students of the department, three from various home science colleges in the city, seven alumnae of the department and eleven were the external exhibitors, she mentioned. The products exhibited were value added food products, handicrafts, designer clothing and much more.
The exhibitors included Dr Pratima Shastri, a retired professor from LIT who have devoted her retired life to the empowerment of the specially abled students with her NGO ‘Aashadeep’, Ret. Prof. Mina Kalele who is in love with ‘Warli Print Clothing’ and Snehal Phasate who is doing PhD in the lost over the time ‘Nagpuri Karwat Kathi Saree’ along with redefining ethnic wear with her start-up ‘Rethnsio’.
Zaineb Maimun’s stall presenting her health-friendly bakery start-up ‘OH CRUMBS’ was the centre of attraction for sweet tooths. Meenakshi Bagde’s CHOC-ELITO offers homemade chocolates and aspiring in the corporate gifting. Chanda Kale’s paper mashy dolls were the eye candy. Her Rukhwats are getting success in the city, she says.
The students of the department exhibited and sold their beautiful handicrafts. The food stalls of the students pulled the crowd. The department mentors the students towards self-employment. That’s also the part of our curriculum, said Dr Vandana Dhawad, a faculty member of the department. Dr Prajakta Nande, a faculty member for food science and nutrition, exhibited the nutrition and wellness consultancy set-up and services of the department that are open to the public.