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India's first bio-tech park: by the women, for the women

A unique, Rs 100-million project exclusively for women is coming up on a 20-acre site at Kelambakkom, 41 km from Madras. Called Bio-Tech Park, the project is sponsored jointly by the Tamil Nadu government, the central biotechnology department, the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation and the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation.

The first seed for the project was sown at a meeting of women scientists and technologists organised by the United Nations Development Programme and the MSSRF in December 1996 in Madras. Later, the project was suggested by the central biotechnology department for inclusion in the report of the working group for the formulation of the Ninth Five Year Plan (1997-2002).

When fully developed, the park will have among other things industrial incubation centres, a ultra-modern multi-media information complex and quality verification laboratories. Research and development institutions, the corporate sector and the financial institutions are expected to assist the women entrepreneurs.

The areas identified for operations are: a) agricultural biotechnology which includes tissue culture, ornamentals, horticultural crops, medicinal plants, fresh produce, organic manure and bio-control agents; b) food biotechnology which includes processed and semi-processed foods, spices and oleoresins, animal and poultry feed, and health products; c) medical biotechnology which includes blood banks, diagnostic kits, nutrient media for routine clinical microbiology; and d) quality control which includes testing laboratories for quality control of food cosmetics and clinical and soil water.

The motto of the biotech park is "to provide opportunities for the professionally qualified women to make a career out of remunerative self-employment through the organisation of environment-friendly biotechnological enterprises".

While selecting the candidates, the MSSRF looked for only one criterion, that is, they should have a basic degree since bio-technology needs a little reading and writing knowledge. Sixty-five women were selected to participate in the venture. These women will get help from the foundation not only in the technical aspects of biotechnology but in finance.

"The park will have training facilities and we at the foundation will invite various technical personalities to train these women. We will help them to prepare project reports, as most of these women are first-generation entrepreneurs. We will also help them to choose viable options. You will succeed only if there is a demand for your product. The park will try to give them marketing links too. And whatever product that comes from the park will have the same brand name which will help them sell the products better in the market," Sudha Nair of the MSSRF said.

She also admitted that initially, till they establish themselves, the going is bound to be tough.

They expect these educated urban women to generate more employment opportunities for other urban women. One of the conditions put forth is that these women should employ only women employees in their ventures so that at least 1,000 women get jobs after the completion of the first phase. The park also plans technical empowerment to all the participants by training them in whatever activity they are going to be associated with.

"It can be tissue culturing, it can be anything. We will coach them to do it. Biotechnology is not a high-tech area, like many believe. It needs a little bit of training, that's all. Take for example, tissue culturing. In interior Kerala, women do it in almost every household. So, we will have a centralised lab in the park where all these women can work and share ideas," explained Nair.

Even though the bio-tech park is expected to start functioning only after 18 months, those women who have already registered themselves have begun their work wherever they have space.

When the foundation advertised about the biotech park, Sheela, a computer scientist, responded because "the concept of a park exclusively for women excited me''.

She added: ''I am a first-generation entrepreneur dealing with computer systems. But here I am going to switch over to biotechnology, as I had always been interested in it.'' Sheela learnt a little bit about managing people in her computing stint where seven people worked under her. For almost one year now, she, like others, has been visiting the foundation every day to learn something new and to exchange experiences.

Malvika Vinod Kumar runs a biotechnology plant in Madras that employs nearly hundred people. Her plant manufactures vitamins and mineral supplements. "Although I've established myself, I was attracted to the venture as this is an exclusive park for women. Moreover, it is an honour to be associated with a great scientist like Dr M S Swaminathan," she said.

There are many other women like Sheela and Malvika who cannot wait for the inauguration of the park.

When President K R Narayanan laid the foundation stone the other day, one of the guests, senior statesman C Subramaniam, took the opportunity to ask Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to emulate his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu who ''makes things happen''. He also admonished the public works department for their ''slow work'', and urged them to expedite the process. Perhaps, he was speaking for the women entrepreneurs.