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Tamil Nadu biotech park for women a damp squib

Shobha Warrier in Chennai

It was in 1996, at a meeting of women scientists and technologists organised by the United Nations Development Program and the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, that the first seed for a biotech park for women was sown.

Later, the project was recognised as one of the priority areas identified by the department of biotechnology.

On the recommendation of the task force on biotechnology-based programmes for women and rural development, constituted by the department of biotechnology in 1997-98, the park was included among the approved programmes to commemorate the 50th anniversary of India's independence.

The government of Tamil Nadu, under the then chief minister K Karunanidhi, allotted 20 acres of land at Sirusseri, the site that the government was developing as the world's largest Cyber city, and entrusted the task of establishing the project to Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation.

On the July 29, 1998, K R Narayanan, President of India laid the foundation stone for the park, which was inaugurated K Karunanidhi on November 24, 2000.

Even two years after inauguration, the park is hardly a success story. The scene at the Golden Jubilee Biotech Park for Women at Sirusseri is anything but encouraging, with only five out of the total 20 sheds being occupied at present.

When this writer met several of the 65 women entrepreneurs who were selected by the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation in 1998 (http://www.rediff.com/business/1998/aug/11biotek.htm), all of them expressed their eagerness to be part of the unique venture. So where have they disappeared to?

Dr Sucharita Kumar, CEO of the park said: "Three years elapsed by the time the land was acquired and developed. It's a long time, and many of them lost interest and also they were not sure whether the park would come up or not."

Even though only five sheds are functioning currently, Dr Kumar claims that the park gets several enquiries everyday. But she hastily adds that none of them progress beyond that point.

Blaming the scant attention of the financial institutions for the poor attendance of the park, Dr Kumar pointed out that most of the projects are getting delayed because of lack of funds.

"Non-availability of funds is the major deterrent. We clear their projects and recommend the projects to the banks but they (the banks) don't act at all. It takes them months to come to a decision, and finally when they do take a decision, an immense amount of time has already been lost."

Besides, Dr Kumar said that the general slowing down of the economy and the fact that the park is situated some 30 kms from the city are also preventing many from coming to occupy the park.

Of the five occupants of the park, Jayashree, a post-graduate in chemistry, was the first.

Jayashree, who always wanted to produce something that is eco-friendly, unique and biotechnology oriented, started developing herbal cosmetics. She was operating from a small lab that she had developed in her home with a capital of just Rs 5,000 when the multinational company in Malaysia for which she was doing a consultancy project asked her to get into production.

"I was not anticipating this. I had no plans to go for production then. I was just making 50 litre, 100 litre batches and I was satisfied."

All the women entrepreneurs had to make a minimum investment of Rs 200,000 to start functioning from the park, and Jayashree found it difficult to raise the amount then. "For six months, I went from one bank to another for a loan. All of them asked for a big collateral."

Luckily for her, the Malaysian group helped her out and she bought a shed at the park and started production immediately. Now, Jayashree has her own production unit with machinery, packing division, lab, et cetera and exports her products to Malaysia and Singapore.

Working from the Golden Jubilee Biotech Park has given credibility to her products, says Jayashree. "My Malaysian partner is impressed by the biotech park banner and of course the name behind it -- Dr M S Swaminathan. In the international market, this means a lot. "

Once an entrepreneur completes more than six months of operation from the biotech park, she becomes eligible for a quality control seal from the park, which helps her in marketing the product.

For the quality control seal and accreditation, the entrepreneur has to submit the test reports before a committee, which is headed by the SPIC Foundation chairman and the head of the department of biotechnology at Anna University.

Jayashree has received such quality control seal from the committee for all her products.

Another advantage of functioning from the park according to Jayashree is that she gets introduced to many clients at the various seminars organised by the park.

Kamala, another entrepreneur bought two sheds at the park just a month ago and she is into manufacturing enzymes for poultry feed.

Kamala decided to move to the park because of the facilities offered although her unit has been operating for the last 25 years from her husband's factory, which manufactures leather enzymes.

Dr Susheela who looks after the R&D and quality control aspects of Kamala's enzyme manufacturing firm decided to help Kamala because of her love for biodegradable products.

"The detergents available in the market be they for hands, floor, cloth or utensils are chemical based. What we want to do is develop eco-friendly enzyme-based detergents." The firm plans to introduce more eco-friendly products including detergents.

The advantage that an entrepreneur from the Biotech Park has over the others according to Dr Susheela is in marketing as the park plans to have biotech corners in many supermarkets which otherwise would have been unaccessible to small entrepreneurs. "They can refuse our products, but they cannot and will not refuse Dr M S Swaminathan!"

The other occupants include Dr S Bhama, a botanist who is into bio-fertilisers, and Vijayalakshmi Prabhakaran, who produces herbal foods like spices.

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