Manufacturing has traditionally been a maledominated industry, with fewer than one-third of employees being women. Even though improvements have been made in recent years, women still are underrepresented in this sector. To inspire emerging women leaders in the industry, Maya Ramachandran, Director, Genlite Engineering Pvt. Ltd., engages in a conversation with Women Entrepreneur Magazine.

Maya is an industrious business leader who has been managing Genlite Engineering Private Limited with her father for almost 25 years. Genlite is one of the top-performing and exclusive Authorized Genset Original Equipment Manufacturers of Kirloskar iGreen Diesel Generators. Genlite manufactures diesel generators with acoustic enclosures and supplies across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry markets. Currently, its corporate office is located in Chennai with branches at Coimbatore, Madurai, Sivakasi, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, and Hyderabad; two production units near Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu & one near Ernakulam in Kerala: and warehouse facilities at Hyderabad in Telangana and Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh.

Besides running the business, Maya has been actively volunteering with several NGOs in various capacities: as a Consultant Psychologist for PCVC, a domestic violence assistance centre; as a Trainer in ASHRAYA, working in the area of Child Sexual Abuse and as a supporter and fundraiser for several other NGOs. For almost 20 years, she has been an active member of the Humanist Movement, which stands for Non-violence and Non-discrimination; and more recently, The Humanist Party of India, where she has been the Tamil Nadu State Mobilization Secretary contesting the 2009 Parliament elections as a party candidate, and elected twice as National General Secretary for the party in 2010 and re-elected in 2020. Currently, she is also a Co-convenor and mentor for the Udayan Shalini Fellowship program in Chennai which is a unique academic excellence and personality development program for deserving and talented girls from weak socio-economic backgrounds. Let’s hear it from her.

What are the various responsibilities that you shoulder at Genlite Engineering? What are your primary focus areas?

My father, in the initial years of my joining, has involved me in almost all the departments of the business. Currently, as the director of the organization, I am managing all our new business expansion plans, overseeing the production activities, and handling the entire gamut of HR and administration. I have been successful in building a very good relationship with our Principals, suppliers, all our dealers, the top management members, and the employees, who have been with us from the beginning. My primary focus areas have been to grow in terms of our achievements in production and sales, through systematic production processes, effective people management, and networking.

"From zero investment, today, we have grown to almost 25 crore investment business with an annual turnover of more than 300 crores"

Tell us about the changes that you have brought to the company as its director.

When I joined this organization in 1997, I found that there was an imbalance in the company in terms of women employees. The very few percentages of women employees that worked here never got any role of importance or recognition that they deserved. Over the years, my involvement in the company’s operations has changed this stereotypical notion. Moreover, we have a few differently-abled persons working in our company; as well as victims of domestic violence, burns, and dowry harassment have also been working with us and this has sensitized all our staff towards people's needs. We believe in holistic growth; hence, I have encouraged some of our senior and capable employees to grow even outside the company and start their own businesses: establishing offshoots of our industry like process outsourced units, as well as manpower agencies.

Mention the key milestones that the company has achieved so far. What is the company’s success mantra?

40 years ago, when my father started the business, he hardly had any capital investment. From zero investment, today, we have grown to almost 25 crore investment business with an annual turnover of more than 300 crores, and from a strength of about 50 in 1997 to more than 250 in our current Genlite family group. In 2006, we established the company’s first manufacturing plant at Sriperumbudur, near Chennai; we handled the construction, procurements, installations, and setting up of the plant and fulfilled the manpower needs of the unit. Today we have managed to manufacture more than the maximum number of gensets that a single GEOM can produce in our limited facility, which are being supplied across India, specifically South India. Our success mantra has been exceeding the expectations of our customers both in quality and supply experience; having a strong vision; and an inspired and committed team that is empowered by a culture of trust & caring.

What would be your advice for emerging women leaders in the manufacturing industry?

Over the years, I have faced situations where people did not try to understand the value of the contribution of a woman in the industry, hence I would ask every woman who wants to step into leadership roles in core manufacturing or engineering industries to believe in herself. You know what you are capable of and you need to be aware of your strengths and weaknesses. And never let other people's judgments affect your performance.

Maya Ramachandran, Director, Genlite Engineering

A businesswoman by profession and a counseling psychologist by qualification, with 25 years of varied work experience, Maya through Genlite Engineering Pvt. Ltd. is committed to delivering high-performing quality products to customers by continually adopting best practices in the industry and setting a benchmark in the trade.

Recognitions:

• Published research papers in the field of psychology and presented the same at numerous conferences

• University Gold medallist in Psychology Masters