Women Entrepreneur: Leela Rao
By kamla bhatt • Apr 1st, 2007Category: Bangalore, Business & Tech, Featured, Ideas, India
Women entrepreneurs in their 70s is not a common feature in India. Leela Rao of Bangalore is an exception. Mrs. Rao heads Leela, a catering outfit with a turn over of close to $2 million per year. Age is not a barrier to this entrepreneur, who spends 10-12 hours working and supervising her staff of almost 200 people. She believes in a hands-on approach and is actively involved in creating new dishes for her constantly changing repertoire of menu for her clients.
Mrs. Rao is a late bloomer and came to the business world at one age when most people enjoy their retirement year. When she was in her 60s she started a home-based catering business. Timing is everything they say and in Mrs. Rao’s case her growth was fueled by the IT and BPO business in Bangalore. In the last 10 years Bangalore has emerged as the IT and BPO hub of India, and many of these companies have outsourced their catering to companies like Mrs. Rao. Some of her customers are Fortune 500 companies, while others are mid-sized companies.
Mrs. Rao is assisted by her son Raja, who runs the operations of the business.
Technorati tags: Leela Rao, women entrepreneur, BPO, outsourcing, bangalore
Kamla Bhatt is the host and producer of an Internet Radio show where listeners can find stories about the new and emerging India and the global Indian community. As a pioneer of 'internet radio' format in India Kamla started her first show News about India, followed by TalkNewsIndia in 2005. In 2006 she premiered her new show: The Kamla Bhatt Show: Life, People and Ideas. 
Kamla,
That was great to listen to.
Let me have the privilege of being the first to comment.
I had told my wife about this podcast that was in the pipeline and we just listened to it together this Sunday afternoon.
Yes, it is the same lady I wrote about in my comments on one of your blog postings.
The photo confirms it.
We used to be her customers back in the mid nineties when she operated from a garage in a house in Jayanagar fifth block.
For just Rs 15/- we used to order 10 chappatis, two subjees, dal and a rice item (lemon rice or chitranna)
supplemented by dahi, paapad and pickles and fruits at home.
The family’s urgent need of the day was met and it spared my wife, who often returned home from work, tired and hungry considerable drudgery in the kitchen.
The kids too loved a change in taste.
I was the errand boy and would dart off on my scooter with the “carrier set” and be back in a few minutes with piping hot food while the wife laid the table and waited in readiness.
The food was homely. Not like the food you get at Kamat or Pai restaurants or today’s Saagars and Darshinis.
She was a Godsend those days to working couples like us.
I am gratified to hear she has made it big.
Hers is an inspiring story.
I wish her even greater sucess.
G Vishwanath
JP Nagar, Bangalore
i am thrilled aboutleela raos study groath and great business idea at that age. i am inspired and a im starting a innovative business on my own at vijayawada. i am 47 . i wish i will follow the success story and i will combine it with my passion.
thanks alot for your efforts to bring great real stories to everybody.