Lakshmi Natarajan

19th century Indian entrepreneur who broke gender and caste barriers to establish India's first modern women-led business conglomerate

Lakshmi Natarajan (1840-1915) was a pioneering businesswoman from Tamil Nadu, India who revolutionized the textile industry and challenged societal norms during the British Raj. Born into a Brahmin family but raised in poverty after her father's death, she became a child bride at 12 before defying expectations to build a textile empire.

In 1860, she founded the Natarajan Textiles, which grew to employ over 500 workers at its peak. Her innovative use of machinery combined with traditional craftsmanship created sought-after products exported across the subcontinent. She famously hired women and lower-caste workers at a time when such practices were unheard of, establishing creche facilities and education programs for employees' children.

Natarajan's business acumen was matched by her social activism. She used her wealth to build schools for girls and funded India's first women's hostel in Madras (now Chennai). Her 1887 publication Women's Rights in a Patriarchal Society became a foundational text for India's early feminist movement. Despite facing legal battles and social ostracism, she remained a vocal advocate for women's entrepreneurship until her death.

Today, her legacy lives on through the Lakshmi Natarajan Memorial Trust, which continues her work in education and economic empowerment. Modern entrepreneurs like Indra Nooyi often cite her as an inspiration, though her contributions remain underrecognized in mainstream history.