Sudha Pennathur Explained

Sudha Pennathur
Birth Place:	Chennai, India
Occupation:	jewelry designer and entrepreneur.

Sudha Pennathur (born in Chennai,^[1] India) is an Indian jewelry, scarf, holiday ornaments, & art objects designer and entrepreneur. Pennathur designs and brings Indian inspired jewellery and crafts to the American Market.^[2] Daughter of Dr. Krish Pennathur, noted Indian author of productivity and business management books.

Education

Pennathur studied commerce at Mumbai's Sydenham College, Pace University, Business Administration at Columbia University, MBA at University of Washington^[3]

Business approach

Pennathur has sought to keep the art of Indian Craftsmanship alive by employing local artisans to create jewelry, clothing and decorator items. Pennathur wanted to match American consumers' tastes with the skills of India's deep reserves of artisan labor.^[4] (This is in contrast to factory produced goods.)^[2]

Career

Pennathur started her own business, Sudha Pennathur LP, in 1985. Pennathur was formerly employed by Levi Strauss and Carter Hawley Hale Stores.^[5] She also has worked at Carson Pirie and Scott & The Bon Marche.^[1]

Achievements

Worked with Indian Government to reduce red tape involved in exportation from India.^[6]

Awards

• 2014 – Girls Inc. – Strong, Smart & Bold Leader of Distinction
• 2013 – Bread & Roses Labor of Love Award (In recognition of 12 years of extraordinary generosity and devotion to the Bread & Roses mission of Hope & Healing Through Live Music)
• 2011 - 100 Black Men of the Bay Area, Inc. - WPO Women of Color Honoree
• 2 October 1992 – Pennathur was presented the Entrepreneur Award from the Asian Pacific Women's Network at their 11th Anniversary Woman Warriors Awards Dinner, Which was recognized by a Certificate of Commendation by the City of Los Angeles

Non-Profit Boards

• Goodwill San Francisco/San Mateo/Marin - Board of Directors^[7] (2020–Present)
• Berkeley Rep - Member, Board of Trustees (2016–Present)
• Aquarium of the Bay - Advisor/Ambassador (2018)
• Board Member & supporter (2009–2013)^[8] of Angel Island Conservancy whose focus is to facilitate the preservation, restoration and interpretation of historical and natural resources on Angel Island.^[9]
• Sudha is a long time supporter and former Board President of The Redwoods^[10] in Mill Valley. The Redwoods is a non-profit active home for seniors in Mill Valley, CA.
• Pennathur has served on the board of Bread and Roses for 6 years, two of those as co-chair.^[11] (Bread & Roses is dedicated to uplifting the human spirit by providing free, live, quality shows to people who live in institutions or are otherwise isolated from society.^{[12] [13]})
• Donor to the Sarvodaya International Trust ^[14] The Sarvodaya International Trust aims identify and support those Gandhian institutions and voluntary organizations which are of importance in the context of the objects and doing' laudable and commendable work in the moral, non-violence, peace, communal and racial harmony fields and in the Social, Cultural and Environmental spheres, on Gandhian lines.^[15]

Philanthropic Work

SUDHA'S TREASURES ANNUAL BENEFIT SALE

Since 2004, Sudha has opened a once-a-year holiday store (Sudha's Treasures) that benefits local charities. 100% of the profits are donated to various charities that she supports. Over the past 16 years Sudha has donated over $800,000 to the Bay Area non-profits to benefit our local communities. Past beneficiaries include:

2021

• meemli

2020

• Goodwill San Francisco, San Mateo, Marin
• Parks California

In 2019, Sudha's Treasures benefited:^[16]

• Whistlestop
• Marin Villages
• Marin Symphony

In 2018, Sudha's Treasures benefited:

• Berkeley Rep
• Whistlestop
• North Bay Children's Center
• Marin Villages

In 2017, Sudha's Treasures benefited:

• Equal Rights Advocates
• Whistlestop
• North Bay Children's Center

Previous Years

• Bread & Roses
• The Redwoods
• Angel Island Conservancy
• Gateway Public Schools
• The Friendship Club

She is a founding member of the Kilpennathur School building in Pennathur, India.

External links

• Pennathur.com – Sudha Pennathur LP. website
• Tulsa World - Speaker at women's business leadership conference stresses giving back to community, 5 March 2015
• Twin Cities Times - Sudha Sale Sustains, 14 November 2012
• The New York Sun - Sudha Pennathur's 'Sari' State, 29 August 2005
• Book Excerpt – The four phases of society: where are we going in the 21st century?, Peter Peeters, Greenwood Publishing Group, 1998
• Women entrepreneurs:moving beyond the glass ceiling Dorothy Perrin Moore, E. Holly Buttner, Sage Publications, 1997
• India Today – Volume 20, Issues 19–24, Thomson Living Media India Ltd., 1995
• Our wildest dreams:women entrepreneurs making money, having fun, doing good- Joline Godfrey, HarperBusiness, 1992
• Womanpower:managing in times of demographic turbulence Uma Sekaran, Frederick T. L. Leong, Sage, 1992
• Book Excerpt – India, the Challenge of Change Pranay Gupte, Methuen/Mandarin, 1989
• The Spirit of India in Jewelry – The Boston Globe (Boston, MA), Julie Hatfield, 4 June 1987
• Forbes, Volume 140, Issues 5–9 – Forbes Inc., 1987
• Jewel architects are here – The Times of India, Bombay, 4 December 1986
• Business India Harvard Business Review, Issues 198–204, A.H. Advani, 1985
• Computer decisions, Volume 16 Hayden Pub. Co., 1984

Notes and References

1. https://www.scribd.com/doc/36415495/Aside-Tableau Aside Tableau 1987-07-16-31
2. https://books.google.com/books?id=kmpBPar98m8C&pg=PA93 Nalini Sastry, Subrata Pandey,Universities Press, 2000
3. http://www.nysun.com/business/sudha-pennathurs-sari-state/19310/ New York Sun 22 August 2005
4. http://www.pranaygupte.com/article.php?index=573 Forbes Article 5 October 1987
5. https://www.scribd.com/doc/36415556/India-Express India Express Article 22 February 1986
6. https://books.google.com/books?id=ktO2AAAAIAAJ&q=%22sudha+pennathur%22 Asian finance, Volume 14 pp 30–31
7. Web site: Board of Directors. 2021-02-13. SF Goodwill. en-US.
8. Web site: Angel Island Board of Directors.
9. http://angelisland.org/2010/07/4th-of-july-at-camp-reynolds/ Angel Island Conservancy
10. Web site: The Redwoods Board of Directors. 19 November 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131209141805/http://theredwoods.org/board.html. 9 December 2013. dead.
11. http://wn.com/Bread_and_Roses_Benefit_2007 World News Network, Video 2007
12. http://www.breadandroses.org/ Bread and Roses Website
13. http://articles.sfgate.com/2007-11-14/home-and-garden/17270132_1_bread-roses-patterns-town-center Indian handicrafts sold to benefit Bread & Roses
14. http://www.sarvodayatrust.org/supportbase.htm Sarvodaya International Trust 2010
15. http://www.sarvodayatrust.org/aims.htm Sarvodaya International Trust 2010
16. Web site: 16th Annual Sudha's Treasures Benefit Sale - Marin Magazine . www.marinmagazine.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20191221001620/https://www.marinmagazine.com/event/16th-annual-sudhas-treasures-benefit-sale/ . 2019-12-21.