Shark Tank India: When transgender Laxmi Narayan Tripathy shared her business idea; Namita Thapar said, “What you’re focusing on…”

MUMBAI: One of the most unusual success stories in Indian television has been Shark Tank India. Shark Tank India is a business reality television program that is shown on Sony Entertainment Television in India. The program is an Indian franchise from the United States. It depicts business owners giving pitches to a group of sharks or investors, who determine whether to fund their enterprise.

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The first season was a huge hit and now the second season has begun. The show is being followed religiously by the ardent fans not just for the interesting business concepts that are showcased on every episode but also because of the charismatic judges on the show aka sharks. 

Now, season one of the reality show which aired between December 2021 and February 2022 has now showcased some unseen footage of the show. One that has caught everyone’s attention is of transgender Laxmi Narayan Tripathy who pitched her business idea with long-time business partner Manish Jain. She was running her business named ‘Kineer’ that provided water services and created employment directly or indirectly to the transgender community.

Kinner has provided water to organizations like Vistara Airlines, Sodexo, and Lalit Hotels, among many others on many occasions. Their company aimed at creating employment for transgenders who resort to begging or prostitution as a way of living. They asked for an investment of Rs 1 crore for 10% equity. 

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Shark Namita Thapar praised Laxmi for her work and asked her what made her start this business. Laxmi replied that  most multinationals would employ transgenders but then soon sack them. She wanted employers to evaluate and hire people based on their skills and capabilities rather than their gender. Laxmi is a social activist who has done impressive work for uplifting the LGBTQ and transgender community. 

While all the sharks turned down the offer as she didn’t present a solid business strategy, Namita said, “What you’re focusing on is creating employment, which is a great cause, and our HR team would get in touch with you to discuss further.” Anupam Mittal said, “I love the cause and your spirit, Laxmi ji”

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