Kavitha JE bags the Homepreneur Award 2018

by Nongsha Angom - 26/10/2018

Former U-10, U-12, U-15 and U-18 National Champion, Asian Sub-Junior Bronze medalist and Asian Junior Silver medalist WFM J.E.Kavitha wins the Homepreneur Award 2018. The Award is a unique initiative introduced by "Brand Avatar" to provide platform to recognize and celebrate the women who have chosen to pursue their passion through entrepreneurship from home. This year the total number of registrants were 6500 and out of which 150 were shortlisted and interviewed by an eminent jury. In this article we try to dig in and learn about Kavitha's experience in being a part of this initiative and in the end winning the prestigious award.

What exactly is a Homepreneur Award?

Many women have taken up business freelancing work in small or medium scale by working from home and generating revenue. These women are called as Homepreneurs. To put it in simple terms it is entrepreneurship from home. Homepreneur Awards (in Tamil - Suyasakthi Virudhugal) seeks to provide a platform to recognize and celebrate the women who have chosen to pursue their passion through entrepreneurship from home. The business could be anything from baking cakes at home to teaching among many categories mentioned on their website. If you are making any income through Homepreneurship, you are eligible to apply for the award under the various categories mentioned.

The company that has undertaken the Homepreneur Awards. | Photo: BrandAvatar

Brand Avatar is a branding and event management firm which over the last two years have brought to life unique and magnificent events, the latest being Art of Parenting, Pride of Tamil Nadu Awards, Fashion Premier Week etc. Brand Avatar also delivers a fully integrated marketing communications program and Brand Management solutions for companies and individuals alike. It has undertaken this unique initiative " Homepreneur Awards" that creates a platform for awarding women who are doing business from home to earn or augment their earning.

As of now there are 12 different categories of the event. | Photo: Homepreneur

This year there were 6500 registrants applying for the awards under different categories and towards the end only 150 were shortlisted to face the jury and WFM J.E.Kavitha was one of them.

Kavitha won the Award under Sports and Fitness category! |Photo: Kavitha

It was in the year 1990 when J.E.Kavitha started playing chess at the of six. She picked up the game quickly and within two years at the age of eight she won the National U-10 Championship for Girls held at Ahmedabad. From then on chess became her life and she went on winning five National titles (U-10, U-12, U-15 and twice U-18), she also won Asian Sub-Junior Bronze medal and Asian Junior Silver medal.

The little champion in action!

Actress Niki Galrani(left) presenting the award to J.E.Kavitha(right). | Photo: Kavitha

For Kavitha all her rapid success in chess were possible because of the support of her parents and coaches but as she was growing up and becoming stronger as a player things started becoming unclear. From the beginning of her career she lacked sponsorship and it started affecting her and made her to re-think on chess. She ended up taking a tough decision to join an IT company as HR professional in 2006 but the strive to success was nerved in always.

The veteran versatile megastar Dr.Kamal Hassan was the chief guest of the event! | Photo: Kavitha

But as they as say - once a chess player, always a chess player! Kavitha was drawn back to the game very soon. This time not as a chess player but as a chess coach. She started the "Little Master's Academy of Chess". As Kavitha writes on her Facebook page: "Little Masters Academy of Chess" aims to spread the game of chess and teach kids in the way they love it!

The little Masters Academy of Chess!

Get to know Kavitha better!

Kavitha manages multiple roles at the same time - apart from being a wonderful homepreneur, she is also a mother of a young and talented boy!

The Little Masters Academy of Chess tries not just to teach you the game of chess, but also to enhance your chess general knowledge

Slowly the students of Masters Chess Academy of Chess have begun to win prizes all over India

When ChessBase India approached and congratulated Kavitha on winning the unique award, this is what she had to say:

"Appreciation is one of life’s greatest motivators. So when ChessBase India takes the time to let people know that our little contribution to chess is valuable to them, it inspires to continue doing even more. Thanks ChessBase India for coming forward to congratulate me on winning the Homepreneur award 2018. This event is not about a chess tournament, but recognition for chess given by "Brand Avatar" team specific towards women empowerment. We all want to succeed, don’t we? Whatever needs to be achieved is not so easy to get and whatever we get, we are not satisfied. We become disheartened and unmotivated. During this phase, and after motherhood, my family created the opportunity once again to pursue my passion and thus “Little Masters Academy of Chess” was started at Tambaram, Chennai at a small level. We still have a long way to go and have just taken that one step towards the journey of thousand miles. With the best efforts we are trying to spread the game of chess and create awareness among parents whose children are playing the game of chess. This we think would be very essential for transforming the kid into a responsible, disciplined, and wise human being."

Homepreneur Award is an awesome initiative and something which every state in India should pick up. | Photo: Homepreneur

As a part of this unique event, one of the applicants will be selected for investment from an investor, who will facilitate the expansion of their business by mentor-ship and investment. The applicant will be selected based on their feasibility and scalability of their business and the leadership ability of the applicant. We wish J.E.Kavitha the very best for all her future endeavour and keep on inspiring us by setting an example and creating an impact.