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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 8:56:24 pm

The Woman Behind Lijjat’s Enduring Legacy

Part - 7 Who: Swati Ravindra Paradkar Where: Mumbai, Maharashtra For the unassuming Swati Ravindra Paradkar, President of ‘Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad’ (SMGULP), ‘Lijjat Papad’ is more than an institution - it symbolizes and the dignity of the handful of seven women who launched and built an extraordinary enterprise with their blood, sweat and tears, surmounting untold odds. Paradkar, 66, is heading SMGULP since over a decade – a place she tiptoed as a shy 10-year-old schoolgirl...

The Woman Behind Lijjat’s Enduring Legacy

Part - 7 Who: Swati Ravindra Paradkar Where: Mumbai, Maharashtra For the unassuming Swati Ravindra Paradkar, President of ‘Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad’ (SMGULP), ‘Lijjat Papad’ is more than an institution - it symbolizes and the dignity of the handful of seven women who launched and built an extraordinary enterprise with their blood, sweat and tears, surmounting untold odds. Paradkar, 66, is heading SMGULP since over a decade – a place she tiptoed as a shy 10-year-old schoolgirl after her father’s demise – and has since dedicated 56 years of her own lifetime to build the organization that has transformed the lives of over 45,000 poor women across India, helping to make them Atmanirbhar in the truest sense. Launched on March 15, 1959 by seven women from Girgaum on a ‘borrowed’ capital of Rs 80, Swati’s mother had joined the Wadala branch in 1969. She followed in 1970 to enrol as a ‘papad-rolling’ Sister-Member to supplement the family income and completed her SSC. What began as a means of earning a livelihood became a lifelong association with an institution whose story mirrors the courage and determination of generations of working women. Armed with her experience in different positions in Bandra, Kandivali and other locations handling multiple departments, she grew rapidly in SMGULP. She became a Managing Committee Member in 1989, and served as Secretary till 1995 – growing with the organization. Starting with rolling out modest papads, SMGULP has today become a massive industry giving economic independence to over 45,000 women. Their grueling daily regimen begins at 4.30 am – kneading the dough, rolling and shaping it and then the papads are dried, packed and marketed to domestic and international markets, said Paradkar, speaking with The Perfect Voice and Vruttamanas. Working in humble, next-door surroundings, dingy chawls in slums or rented premises, sharing all responsibilities with a smile and commitment while adhering to strict quality controls, and fighting growing market competition, the women were determined to earn with dignity while balancing domestic chores and family commitments. Over the past 67 years, the modest initiative has mushroomed into an awesome institution with 84 branches and 31 divisions across 16 states, providing self-employment to more than 45,000 sister-members, who produce over 5 billion papads, with turnover of over Rs. 1,600-crore, annually. Besides papads, SMGULP offers a bouquet of other home products and provides self-employment opportunity to women by giving them a window to national and global markets. The deserving children of the sister-members are awarded scholarships to pursue higher education. The SMGULP is heavily involved community services, and contributes to providing relief to people affected by natural calamities like earthquakes or floods. Paradkar says with pride that “Lijjat’s legacy is not simply the humble papad that reaches millions of homes but the dignity, independence and collective strength of the women whose hands have rolled and shaped its history.”

India working on logistics of Tahawwur Rana's extradition

PTI
Feb 14, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Feb 18, 2025

Tahawwur Rana

Washington: India is working on the logistics of Tahawwur Rana's surrender and extradition from the US, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has said, as President Donald Trump announced that his administration has given the go-ahead to extradite the 26/11 terror attack accused “to face justice".

“This is an issue on which the US authorities have taken very clear decisions. I think you've seen the President announce it himself from the White House podium" the decision of the US to extradite Rana, Misri said at a press conference here on Thursday.


During a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the White House, US President Donald Trump announced that his administration has approved the extradition of "very evil" Tahawwur Rana, wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, "to face justice in India”.


In response to a question by PTI on the timeframe by when Rana will be extradited to India, Misri said: "We are working on the logistics of his surrender and extradition to India. There are a few final steps to be completed. The two sides are in touch on this particular issue.”


The India-US joint statement issued during the Prime Minister's visit to the US notes that Modi and Trump reaffirmed that the global scourge of terrorism must be fought and terrorist safe havens eliminated from every corner of the world.

“They committed to strengthen cooperation against terrorist threats from groups, including Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Jaish-e Mohammad, and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba in order to prevent heinous acts like the attacks in Mumbai on 26/11 and the Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021," the joint statement said.


“Recognising a shared desire to bring to justice those who would harm our citizens, the US announced that the extradition to India of Tahawwur Rana has been approved," it said.


The leaders further called on Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai, and Pathankot attacks and ensure that its territory is not used to carry out cross-border terrorist attacks.

"The leaders also pledged to work together to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems and to deny access to such weapons by terrorists and non-state actors,” the joint statement added.

Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, is currently lodged at a metropolitan detention centre in Los Angeles. He is known to be associated with Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks.

Speaking at the joint press meet, Trump said "Today I am pleased to announce that my administration has approved the extradition of one of the plotters and very evil people of the world, and having to do with the horrific Mumbai terrorist attack, to face justice in India. So, he is going back to India to face justice."


The extradition of Rana was cleared by the US Supreme Court in January as it rejected his review petition in the case.


India last month said it was working with American authorities for the early extradition of Rana.


"The US Supreme Court on January 21 declined to hear a petition from the accused. We are now working with the US side on procedural issues for early extradition to India of the accused in the Mumbai terror attack," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said.


In November 2012, Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving gunman among the Pakistani group, was hanged to death in Yerawada Jail in Pune.

-PTI

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