Rooted in the village soil of Rangiem, nourished in a Western education environment in the Blue Hills and raised by a family of entrepreneurs who dinned into her ears from a tender age that “No job is below your dignity,” aided Kamalam Shanmugam to bloom as an entrepreneur who blends in with the natural environment –the very essence of her being.
Rooted in the village soil of Rangiem, nourished in a Western education environment in the Blue Hills and raised by a family of entrepreneurs who dinned into her ears from a tender age that “No job is below your dignity,” aided Kamalam Shanmugam to bloom as an entrepreneur who blends in with the natural environment –the very essence of her being.
“Just like any other young woman of my age, after marriage to Shanmugam who worked in the IT city of Bangalore, I lived a happy-go-lucky city life for eight years. After a nerve-wrecking experience of trying to conceive a child through medical means for seven long years, our son Ajay Subbu was born. He was our “turning point” because now as parents we realized that corporate culture was too much for us to handle, irrespective of how temptingly luxurious the lifestyle was. We wanted to give Ajay the best, like my parents did for my brother and me. They always treated us equally, irrespective of gender and provided us with equal opportunities.
We had to learn everything that was required to be independent in life. I do not consider any job beneath my dignity because they taught us that even cleaning bathrooms was our job and “who else can do a better job than you, for your family!” says Kamalam. With simple life lessons as her experience, Kamalam and her equally industrious husband made what they call “the greatest decision” of their lives — to move to Kotagiri. “There was no one to look after the family estates. But when we moved there, the seed of an idea was born which was to open an eco-resort on the estates, with a grim determination not to disturb the beauty of the environment while doing so. With our families guiding us, we birthed Lakshmi Holiday Inn. ‘Nature by your side’ is our tag line reminding us of the importance of preserving nature. I believe we managed to create a piece of heaven on earth,” exults Kamalam.
To manage the nitty gritty details of running a resort that sets itself apart amongst the teeming resorts in the Nilgiris, who better than “family” to rope in. “My dad is the Chairman and mentor, my brother is the proverbial “guide,” our mothers supply the recipes and the ingredients needed to pack a punch on the platters, my father in-law is our auditing partner and my husband the “Managing partner.” All I need to do is just be the Human Resource Manager,” admits Kamalam laughingly. Our main goal at Lakshmi Holiday Inn is to provide our guests with a clean, good quality and cozily comfortable stay,doubled with healthy food using the best ingredients available in the market.
The green journey began from August 31st, 2017 and ever since there has been no turning back for Kamalam. “With the whole family involved, we strive to grow together, overcoming every challenge coming our way. From the very beginning, we were clear about fiercely protecting the environment, in the best way possible. Even before the ban of using plastics to make Nilgiris a plastic-free zone had come into effect, we started using paper straws, newspaper bags for dustbins, eco-friendly cups and plates for banquets and removed all non-woven items from our list. We segregate outside plastic waste and dispose them separately. We are spending a bit more now for eco-friendly products but doing our part to preserve nature, as well as the satisfaction and appreciation of our guests at how we run the resort keeps us happy,” says this content eco-friendly resort owner.
Kamalam likes to do things differently and tries her hand at things previously alien to her. “We came up with the idea of Terrarium and named our restaurant ‘House of Terrarium.’ I learnt to make Terrariums and filled our restaurant with them. Another concept is the driftwood wall decor which never fails to impress our guests,” she says. Lakshmi Holiday Inn is a pretty property nestled in the heart of Kotagiri and yet set apart like a haven with a “valley and mountain” view, replete with tea gardens. Their multi-cuisine restaurant is a treat for the palate with indigenous recipes. They host activities like campfire with barbecue, and popular outdoor and indoor games.
Kamalam believes that home is where everything starts and thus everything must be taught at home. “We joined the “plogging parties” which happen in Kotagiri to help people realise that leaving litter behind on streets or slopes is wrong.Since we are a traditional family, I try to educate my son on traditions, values and food habits followed in our family. There is a reason behind everything which was done by our ancestors and not everything is superstition.
Kamalam is of the view that for a woman to venture out as an entrepreneur, two major challenges that arise are in the areas of family and health. “When one has the support of family and is also physically and mentally healthy, success follows. Her simple advice to aspiring women entrepreneurs is, “Go with the flow in your life and most importantly learn. Every day, every minute is an experience. Travel, meet people, read books, have positive people around you. After all, nothing can be more painful than not pursuing your dreams. I dreamt of a being a business woman, a shop owner, a Montessori school owner, a retailer, and even a Chettinad furniture shop owner but here I am serving as a hotelier and an agriculturist, all because I went with the flow and grabbed the opportunities offered.
In spite of hailing from a family of entrepreneurs,it was a long personal journey for me. The struggle to just have a child was a huge setback for me but thereon I made progress. I thought about the best options I had in life and grabbed them. So, face the challenges that come your way, and they definitely will, find solutions and automatically life will take you to where you truly belong. Also, be satisfied with what you get and work hard to sustain that.
One important thing which is a personal must for me is – RESPECT! Respect everyone, no matter what their jobs, status, age, religion, caste or creed,” reiterates Kamalam.
In a bid to build the community of women entrepreneurs in the Nilgiris, Kamalam hosted the Women Entrepreneurs India Meet in Kotagiri recently. “I felt we needed to showcase the versatile talents of women in Kotagiri and provide a platform for their indigenous products. I have a friend who makes chocolates, another who sells her own brand of saris, one who sells bonsai and a Toda woman who sells handicrafts.
All they needed was a platform and presto our first meet was a webinar session at Lakshmi Holiday Inn. In less than a month, through WEI, we organised a self-defence learning program for women in lieu of the increasing violence against women in today’s world,” says Kamalam. In her pursuit of excellence while fulfilling her own dreams, her ability to help others grow alongside is what distinguishes Kamalam as an entrepreneur with “beauty in her soul” much like the haven she helped create in the Blue Hills.