Front page, bottom fold

Picture from article

Reading "The Times of India" (inclusive of "Ahmedabad Times" version) I was immediately struck by the article on the front page, bottom fold: Womb rental incubated her business - Surrogate Mother Invest Earnings.


--by: Bharat Yagnik


Ahmedabad: Madhu Solanki is a 34-year-old successful businesswoman running one of the largest grocery stores in her village, Waghpur near Anand. Madhu got the seed investment for her business from her womb, literally!

In 2006, Madhu had given her womb on rent. She had opted to become a surrogate mother for a childless couple from Bangalore to get out financial crisis - she along with her husband struggled to run the family on a meager income of Rs 4,000 per month. She got 2.25 lakh for renting out her womb. Madhu could save Rs 80,000 after building a small house.

Instead of depositing the money in a bank, Madhu decided to start a business. "There are three-odd grocery stores in my village. Being a woman I knew precisely what ingredients women need for their daily routine. The learning curve was difficult but I got the hang of the business in a few years," says Madhu, who owns the Anand Grocery Store. The store's daily collections now stand at Rs 10,000. Given her huge success, she has been appointed as a trainer to make entrepreneurs out of eight other surrogates who have earned decent money and are keen to invest it wisely so that they become financially independent.

"Madhu has trained eight surrogates who are in the throes of beginning their own grocery business. We want more women to stand on their feet," said surrogacy specialist Dr Naina Patel.

Madhu is a mother of two sons - one 10 years old and the second was born after she bore a child through surrogacy. Madhu and her husband are keen to give good education to their sons. "Becoming a surrogate changed my life. But the key is not to spend the money but use it to become financially independent for life," says Madhu.