Chennai, Jan 24 : Karur-based entrepreneur Senthil Sankar was conferred with The Weekend Leader-VIT Person of the Year Award at an event hosted at VIT Chennai, recognizing his contributions to sustainable fashion through his brand Ecoline. The award was presented by VIT Chancellor Dr. G. Viswanathan, Srivats Ram, Managing Director of Wheels India Limited, and Dr. G.V. Selvam, Vice President of VIT.
Senthil transformed his family business, Shree Renga Polymers, into a sustainable enterprise and launched Ecoline in 2020, a clothing brand that manufactures garments using fabric made from recycled PET bottles. “Every day, we recycle about 15 lakh PET bottles and manufacture 30,000 to 40,000 garments,” he said. The brand has achieved a turnover of ₹100 crore, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has worn Ecoline jackets on approximately eight occasions.
In addition to the Person of the Year Award, The Weekend Leader-VIT Super Startup Awards were presented to three young entrepreneurs:
- Deepika Thiyagarajan, Co-founder of Putchi Maternity Solutions.
- Anand Bharadwaj, Co-founder of Sweet Karam Coffee.
- Ramya Ravi, Co-founder of RNR Donne Biryani.
Sweet Karam Coffee, founded in 2015 with ₹2,000, started as a home-based business selling traditional South Indian snacks. It now serves customers in over 30 countries. RNR Donne Biryani, launched with ₹5 lakh during the pandemic, has expanded from a cloud kitchen to multiple outlets in Bengaluru. Putchi, a maternity fashion brand started in 2020 with ₹60,000, has grown rapidly and provides employment opportunities to several women.
Speeches Highlight Entrepreneurship’s Role in Economic Growth
Dr. G. Viswanathan highlighted the need for entrepreneurship to boost India’s per capita income. “India is the fifth largest economy in the world as per GDP, but in per capita income, it is in 136th position. To improve our per capita income, our country needs more entrepreneurs,” he said.
Srivats Ram shared insights into the TVS Group’s journey and stressed the importance of persistence. “If you work hard, there is no problem in the world that cannot be resolved. The most important qualities are persistence, focus, and attention to detail. By focusing on these three aspects, any problem can be tackled effectively,” he said.
Dr. G.V. Selvam highlighted ethical business strategies inspired by Tata and TVS and praised the grooming of the TVS Group’s fifth generation through internships and gradual learning.
P.C. Vinoj Kumar, Editor of The Weekend Leader, encouraged students to embrace entrepreneurship, citing a successful example of exporting handicrafts from Chennai’s Parry’s Corner to the U.S. for significant profits.
