Deepa Bhandare, who works at Shri Datta Cooperative Sugar Factory (SSK) in Shirol taluka of Kolhapur, won the prestigious Best Environment Officer Award at the event and became a leader in her field.

The award, given by VSI Chairman Sharad Pawar, is a historic moment because Bhandare is the first woman in the long and distinguished history of Maharashtra’s sugar business to receive this honor.

Deepa

A Journey of Being Strong and Flexible

Bhandare is from Sangli and has a master’s degree in environmental sciences. She was forced into the sugar business through terrible circumstances.

After her husband died too soon three years ago, she jumped at the chance to work at the sugar mill when it was offered to her.

Bhandare knew about the technical side of the sugar business because she had worked as an environmental consultant before, but she had never worked in the industry itself before.

A woman in a male-dominated field is a pioneering change.

Bhandare is one of only a few women working as technical staff in Maharashtra’s sugar business, which is mostly made up of men.

It has been a problem for a long time that there aren’t enough women in top positions. Shalintai Patil and Pankaja Munde are two well-known cases that have broken through the glass ceiling, but there aren’t many others like them.

Bhandare’s accomplishment is an example of why more women should think about working in this usually male-dominated field.

Beyond the Norms: Making the World a Better Place for Everyone

One of the first things Bhandare did when she started working in the sugar business showed how much she cared about including everyone.

She saw that there weren’t enough facilities for women, so she led the effort to build a bathroom for women at the sugar mill.

Bhandare stresses how important it is to have more women work in the business and thinks that it is ready to accept differences.

Getting more women to work in the sugar industry

• When Bhandare thinks about her journey, she encourages more women to think about working in the sugar business.
• With her education, which includes an MBA, and work experience, she thinks that women can bring useful ideas to the field.
• As Maharashtra’s sugar industry moves toward being more open to women, Bhandare hopes that more women will work in the industry to help it grow and improve.