Sitara Kausar, LLB (Hons), Dip LP, CDIF

Chair of the Scottish Asian Women's Association

Occupation: Trainee Solicitor
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The Scottish Asian Women’s Association is a brilliant platform for all Scottish Asian Women to unite and provide one another with support and guidance.

As a trainee Solicitor, I am just at the beginning of my professional career. I hope to utilise this Association to expand my network and eventually be in a position to offer my expertise to the members. I also look forward to gaining invaluable leadership skills from my fellow SAWA ladies!

I firmly believe that this Association will only move from strength to strength and encourage all Scottish Asian Women to get involved.

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Arti Poddar, BSc Hons in Technology and Business

Trustee of the Scottish Asian Women's Association

Serial entrepreneur, Arti Poddar has diverse business interests and her portfolio of companies reports turnover in excess of £5.5 million a year.

Social contribution plays an important role in her goal as an entrepreneur. The ability to lead and inspire others drives Arti to succeed and to see opportunities not challenges. Arti’s personal philosophies and values are at the core of her business interests. Care will always be her first passion and her focus.

Arti is dedicated to setting new standards in the care sector and has successfully steered her companies to substantial growth. She is committed to researching the expectations that future generations will have as they plan for their care in later life and developing the service.

Exciting times are here in education and Arti feels that the environment and philosophy in her nurseries lends itself very well to producing children who are successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors in society. Arti is determined to continue to maintain her high standards in every area.

Arti is part of the Poddar Group and owns and manages a series of successful businesses, including Lotus Senior Living and Sterling Care Homes which she established in 2008 with the acquisition of Nightingale House in Paisley and more recently new owner of Little Einstein’s Kindergarten Limited, which owns and operates nurseries in Glasgow, Perth, Arbroath and Dundee.

 

In addition to the children’s nurseries there is also a custom papers writing, Thistle Training, which is based in Perth.

Arti co-founded Bramble & Bug in 2009 but is no longer involved in the digital solutions and creative agency in Glasgow and established Nature & Herbs Limited, an exclusive distributor for Divya and Patanjali products in the UK and Europe. Arti was also on the Board of Directors for Aastha Broadcasting (UK) Ltd for three years up until November 2010, a leading faith channel that boasts 100 million viewers each day.

Arti is involved in the development of Little Cumbrae in the Firth of Clyde as a centre dedicated to the encouragement of spiritual and physical health through ayurvedic practice.

Other significant organisations that Arti is involved in include the Clydebank Women in Business Group and the Morton Fraser Women in Business Group.

Awards and Recognition

Arti’s entrepreneurial drive and energy has not gone unrecognised in the wider business community, which has bestowed upon her a number of prestigious accolades and business awards. These include among others, Female Business Person of the Year at the Scottish

Ethnic Awards, Scottish business woman of the year finalist, young achiever of the year in the UK and Scottish Asian business awards, young achiever of the year finalist in the Asian woman achievement awards and finalist for Businesswoman of the Year at The Scottish Asian Business Awards.

Community Work

Arti is a Trustee of the Scottish Asian Women’s Association and is very excited to be a part of an organisation that seeks to raise the profile of Scottish Asian Women in the UK and beyond and is looking forward to providing guidance, support and development to Asian Women and also the opportunity for Arti to network and share resources with other women.

Arti is actively involved in community work providing school children with work experience in her nurseries and care homes and through The Bridges Programmes, helps refugees and asylum seekers living in Glasgow gain meaningful work experience within her field of expertise. Arti additionally supports The Patanjali Yog Peeth (UK) Trust, a registered UK charity since 2006 that is promoting health and well being through yoga – this has been rolled out in primary schools in various councils throughout Scotland.

Arti also meets regularly with Glasgow City Council to draw attention to concerns affecting the quality of care for the elderly.

Family Life

Arti is a driven entrepreneur who works seven days a week to fulfil the potential of her various business interests and has dedicated herself to building a series of businesses which create wealth, jobs and fulfilling careers while delivering a high level of attention to detail in regard to caring for the people she looks after and their needs. She employs 350 people around Scotland and provides services for 150 elderly and 500 nursery children. Arti has a wonderful relationship with her parents, brother, Deepak who is a Director at Lambhill Court Ltd and her sister, Puja who is Operations Director at Little Einstein’s Kindergarten Ltd.

Contact Arti: