From 5 to 5,000: How Ritvika And Prabhu Naidu Empower Rural Women In India

In a remarkable journey that began with just five women in 2017, Ritvika Naidu and Prabhu Naidu of Prabhu Naidu Ltd have grown to empower over 5,000 women across 300 villages in Maharashtra. 

Ritvika Naidu, chairperson of the company, said their mission is to create meaningful employment opportunities for rural women while ensuring they can still manage their household responsibilities.

Prabhu Naidu Limited specialises in manufacturing recycled fabric and cotton tote bags. However, its real strength lies in its unwavering commitment to women's empowerment. The bags are stitched by rural women who are first provided skilling, sewing machines and then work.

“We believe that when a woman is empowered, she creates a strong home,” says Naidu. “As children develop, our nation progresses. That’s the focus of our company: to empower women and support national growth.”

Through consistent training, many of these rural women-some previously unskilled-have become proficient in stitching bags, including high-quality export products. Earnings range from Rs 3,000 to Rs 10,000 or more, depending on their output and skill level. About 200 women are now fully dedicated to making export-quality bags, and the company has also expanded its outreach to other parts of India.

For many of these women, the impact goes far beyond finances. The work enables them to contribute to their families, improve their children’s education, and gain confidence and self-worth. “This income helps them take care of simple things like hygiene, nutrition, and education,” says Naidu.

During the pandemic, Prabhu Naidu Limited reached an impressive milestone: one crore bags produced. Today, the company has a production capacity of five lakh 500,000 bags a day and continues to attract customers who understand the social mission behind their orders.

Looking ahead, the vision is bold. “We aim to reach 100,000 women by 2030,” says Naidu.