Hubballi :
It’s the age of startups and e-tailing. And hopping on to this bandwagon is Deepali Gotadke. This computer science engineer has managed to carve a niche in an e-comm world where big players call the shots. Deepali’s ClickHubli.com helps deliver flowers, delicacies like Dharwad peda, jowar roti and cakes and traditional Ilkal and Kasuti sarees across the globe, sitting in Hubballi. Deepali has 18 techies working under her with several women from poor families also doing part-time jobs. She has also developed a network of 30 bakers/sweetmakers and 50 florists to ensure fresh flowers and food items are delivered.
The idea of becoming an entrepreneur took shape when she settled down in Hubballi after marriage. She found that while online services were well-entrenched in metros and big cities, their reach in smaller cities was minuscule. Initially, her website that was started in 2001 offered services in Hubballi-Dharwad. Later it extended its network in cities like Belagavi, Solapur, Mangaluru, Mysuru, Pune and Goa and finally had a global footprint too. The firm now has 12 e-commerce portals and a network of florists, sweetmakers and bakers across the country through which it delivers gifts of and flowers. However, durable items like Ilkal and Kasuti sarees are delivered across India and abroad.
“Now we deliver flowers and eatables all over India with the help of florists and bakers of respective area. For instance, If we receive an order of Dharwad pedha from Bengaluru, we will convey it to our network of sweetmakers in Bengaluru, who deliver the order to the door -step of the costumer,” she says.
ClickHubli also provides information on Kasuti, an embroidery typical of north Karnataka, and undertakes the responsibility of booking and delivering saris and dress material with Kasuti work. This has provided employment to rural Kasuti artisans.
Apart from this, Deepali also does web designing and development works and has developed over 500 websites for government agencies and business establishments.
Deepali has also been recognized for her efforts. She has won various awards including ‘High Performing Women IT Entrepreneurs’ by software technology parks of India and IT/BT, Karnataka government for 2010. She has also helped Hubballi-Dharwad police solve a cyber crime case involving misuse of credit cards on e-commerce sites in December 2009 and is also on the IT advisory committee of the HDMC.
Waiting for land:
Deepali, who launched the first e-commerce website in North Karnataka region, is struggling along with five other IT companies, to get a site at Aryabhata Technological park since 2010. “Though HDMC had recommended 10.5 acres of land for six IT companies, it was pending before the government. Without offeringany reason, now HDMC itself has taken U-turn and called for fresh applications. This is a hurdle for the growth of IT sector in NK region,” Deepali said.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hubballi / Sangamish Menasinakai, TNN /January 07th, 2015