ABP Network’s Ideas of India Summit 2025: Create infrastructure to drive aspirations
Telegraph | 24 February 2025
Two young business leaders from Calcutta were on the eclectic speakers’ list of the two-day ABP Network’s Ideas of India Summit 2025.
Times have changed but boardroom bias against women is still a reality, Rochita Dey, director of Sreeleathers, told the audience comprising several corporate executives and leaders.
Dey is now at the helm of the footwear brand started by her father.
“When I was younger, there was a stereotype about women in business. While times have changed, the bias still exists. A male counterpart in the boardroom might confidently claim credit for 20 per cent of the work while a woman might hesitate to acknowledge even 80 per cent of her contribution,” said Dey, who founded House of SL in 2019.
She was one of the speakers on Day 2 of the summit on Saturday.
Dey was in conversation with Radhika Bajaj.
Asked about her idea of India, Dey said: “India will have the largest workforce in the world by 2027. The people who can drive change are already here. It is our responsibility to build the infrastructure that ensures everyone has the opportunity to contribute to India’s growth.”
Dey stressed the need to empower the youth.
“We are the youngest major economy, with a median age of 28. Now is the time to create something aspirational and different for the youth. Our brand positioning is deeply rooted in India. If we can build a brand with a premium aesthetic without a luxury price tag, we will be able to reach a much larger audience,” she said.
At a time online stores are in the ascendance, Dey pointed out the benefits of brick-and-mortar stores.
“For FMCG, online platforms are important, but an omni-channel strategy is the way forward. Personally, I value the experience of visiting a store, trying a product and making an informed choice. While an online store makes it easier to build customer relationships, brick-and-mortar stores play a crucial role in enhancing the shopping experience. However, for start-ups, physical stores can be an expensive investment,” she said.
Shashwat Goenka, vice-chairman, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, was among the speakers on Day 1, Friday. He was in conversation with Vir Sanghvi.
Talking about the evolution of quick commerce, Goenka said: “Quick commerce has taken off, and Indian consumers today are more aspirational and willing to try new things. Continuous supply chain availability is key to meeting this demand.”
His company has ventured big time into healthy snacking.
“We discovered the market value of makhana before people even adopted it. Healthy snacking was an untapped space and we saw the opportunity before it became mainstream.
“We identified the space of healthy snacking in time. Our bhujias have 45 per cent less saturated fat, but they don’t compromise on taste. Today, we offer a gamut of healthy snacks that cater to evolving consumer preferences. Consumption has changed in the last two decades,” he said.