Sumathi Srinivas is a lady who likes to wear several hats. Editor of a successful women’s magazine — Women Exclusive — she is also the CEO of Twilite Creations, an events management company that organises corporate events and reality shows. She produces promotional films and documentaries and is the moving force behind the popular “Mrs. Homemaker” annual contest. The ever-smiling busy bee does all this and more, even while fulfilling her duties as a wife and a mother to twin sons.

Juggling with so many jobs, if you could call them so, surely needs a lot of motivation and it is no wonder that Sumathi is a sought-after motivational speaker at colleges and corporate offices.

How did it all start, we ask her. “I was only a graduate at the time of marriage. I did my post-graduation in Sociology and Psychology after marriage and appeared for the B.Ed exam just after my twins were born,” laughs Sumathi.

Finding herself at a loose end, she began assisting her husband in his business. Later, she started helping acquaintances in hosting events. “One led to the other and I gradually branched out to professionally host my own event. I wanted to bring homemakers out of their shell and give a platform for them to exhibit their skills. That was how the Mrs. Homemaker event was born.” Continuing, she says: “It was a big challenge as I put together the event in just 20 days and staged the finals at the Music Academy. Now, the event that is into its eighth year draws participants from all over the State and is spread over 6 months from July to December.”

The event is a path breaker of sorts as it is exclusively for married women and there is no age limit. Here, it is not enough if women sashay on stage in pretty outfits. They have to prove their mettle in handling different types of situations — cook with firewood in remote villages, compete in rock climbing, rappelling etc. In short, at the end of the gruelling event, the participants gain confidence to survive any situation and handle any emergency. Besides crowning the winners who go home with a lot of goodies, a part of the proceeds from the event is given to needy people such as destitute women and special children every year.

The Mrs. Homemaker event is also hosted on Jaya TV every year as a reality show. “I am proud to say that this is the only show that has no celebrities, is full of totally unknown faces and is yet successful,” she adds with a sparkle in her smiling eyes.

Sumathi’s glossy WE magazine is also a pioneer, being the first bilingual magazine for women.

The content is not just about fashion tips, but includes a variety of articles on happenings around the world; interviews with male and female achievers/celebrities; health and food tips and film/book reviews.

Lena Tamizhvanan is a regular contributor to WE.

WE Awards

The magazine honours people who have excelled in different walks of life with the ‘WE Awards’ every year. The occasion is also used to extend financial aid to NGOs, differently-abled children etc. This year, the We Awards ceremony is slated for May 26. “We propose to launch a scheme, ‘Vizhigal’, through which we will be sponsoring the education of deprived children for a year. We hope to make this a continuous process,” Sumathi adds.

Through her company, Sumathi does her own advertising and PR work and is also into publishing. Besides WE, her firm prints books, newsletters, brochures etc.

“Looking back, I am happy and proud that I have transformed from a docile housewife into a busy professional. Every day is a challenge and I know that I have come this far not just because I am a woman, but because I can match men in hard work and output,” Sumathi signs off.