MBD sisters all set to shoulder father's business

Ajay Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar ,March10

The sisters, Monica Malhotra Kandhari and Sonika Malhotra Kandhari are taking their business ventures on new heights on the footsteps of their father. Monica who is the Senior Managing Director of the MBD group and Sonika, the joint Managing Director, were here in the city to inaugurate their first coaching centre, “Modern Institute”.

Having learnt the tricks of the trade from their father, Ashok Kumar Malhotra, both the sisters are excellently flourishing their business. Monica handles the publishing, e-learning , project and innovation department, stationary divisions as well as design where as Sonika holds the hospitality, real -estate, mall management as well as corporate finance and taxation for the entire group.

On the upcoming trend of woman entrepreneurship, Monika said, in the current scenario people are getting equal choices and opportunities so rather than creating the gender difference in the business world we should focus more on the survival of the fittest. Quoting her example she said, "I started my journey at a very tender age. By accompanying my father in his trade events and with time we are here representing the MBD group at every corporate platform. It's been 31 years since I took the responsibility to carry forward my father's venture with the same vision to make MBD reach at heights. MBD that was initially started as a book store is now a consolidated conglomerate of education, hospitality, malls, hotels and online education.

Also through this modern institute we have a vision to provide all kinds of services, products and educational courses that students need. We have come up with this institution so that the students from the region wouldn't have to move to far-away places to get better coaching. This will help them getting quality education in the city only.

Having completed a course from Hawarden business school ,Sonika , has been in the business from the past 16 years .She said as a woman we had a tough responsibility but on the other our innovation and creativity kept us moving ahead to match the same standards that our father has set.

She further said , woman will definitely perform excellent when given a chance to showcase their talents. Moreover it really depends on the kind of confidence parents are portraying on them . The upbringing should be such from the beginning that there are really no limitations on women.

She herself said when in the dilemma whether to go in business neither her father nor her mother put any limitation on her . Our minds were very clear from the beginning and creative that helped us in leading the group from front .

The mindsets that girl can not do anything will completely evade in coming 2-3 years. And when compared globally, in India also a lot of women are leading from the front . And this paradigm shift is seen more extensively from last 5-6 yeas, as women are in almost every field like banking , retail space, and hospitality . Sonika further added , that there are the set of women who are putting extra efforts therefore, a lot of support needs to be given to the ladies in backward areas where literacy rate and technological vision is myopic .

On Women who have started their startup, Monica said , a woman should not be bothered about what society or people around them thinks about them. Upgrade your own self and stay focused to what business you are involved in .As a matter of time people will ultimately look up to you. Don't get persuaded and dissuaded by what people say . what matters is what your vision is where you want to reach eventually.