CHENNAI: The Duchess Club, founded by Nina Reddy, Sujata Mundhra, Anu Agarwal, Anu Sachidev and Rathi Nilakantan, has spent the last 23 years bringing together women who want to grow and evolve. One way they’ve kept this spirit alive is through the Duchess Utsav, now a yearly tradition that attracts people from all over the country. The Duchess Utsav 2024, a showcase of creativity and community, took place from September 12 to 14 at the Savera Hotel in Chennai.
This celebrated annual event, organised by the Duchess Club, drew a diverse crowd from across the country, featuring nearly 90 stalls from budding entrepreneurs and NGOs. The utsav, now in its 23rd year, is a testament to the club’s dedication to supporting women’s growth and innovation.
This year’s theme, ‘My Duchess Utsav’, encourages members to take ownership of the event. As Nina and Sujata shared, “When we started, we wanted it to be for women who wanted to evolve, and to do that requires a whole lot of elements, one of them being business.”
The founders have kept the Utsav accessible by offering stalls at affordable rates, as they believe the vendors’ products should be reasonably priced. This participatory event includes a sponsored fashion show on September 13, organised by the members themselves. Vendor selection has also evolved over time. “Earlier, we used to call vendors and see their products in person. Now, they send us their products online along with the pricing,” Nina and Sujata said, adding that they strive to maintain a variety of products without too much repetition.
Among the food stalls is Kesar Kumbhat’s, who participated at her daughter Avanti’s insistence. “She pushed me into it, and now this is the only exhibition I participate in,” Kesar said. Everything is homemade, from sweets to theplas, and all the proceeds go to charity. “The satisfaction of doing something on your own and contributing to charity is much better than just donating money directly,” she explained. Her son papdi and theplas have become must-tries for visitors, and she also takes custom orders a day in advance, which go toward causes such as animal rights and Jain social groups.
Mash Rajendran of Mash’s Collectionz has been participating in Duchess Utsav for eight years. “My whole idea is to put art into everything, whether it’s clothing, home decor, or gifts,” she said. Mash customises all her products and tries to reuse and upcycle materials. “I think out of the box and try to come up with different ideas each year. I have a lot of repeat customers because everyone has a one-of-a-kind necessity.”
Anis Fathima of Ziya Jewelry, who runs a semi-precious jewellery store in Savera, shared, “I know what kind of crowd walks into this event because I’ve been a member, and I know what attracts these clients,” she said. Her handcrafted jewellery, along with her husband’s saris and kurtas, have been well received by the visitors.
Sriram Prasad G, CEO of Keerai Kadai Ventures, has been running his plant-based products startup for five years. Specialising in healthy alternatives like green tea-based soups, Sriram’s stall offers unique gifting options. “We offer Diwali hampers with healthy options, so people can gift something nutritious instead of the usual sweets and nuts,” he explained. As the Duchess Utsav drew to a close, it was clear that this event continues to be a cherished tradition in Chennai. It highlighted the club’s ongoing commitment to supporting and celebrating diverse talents and businesses, leaving a lasting impression on all who attended.