‘Patchalla’ Sethamma’s exemplary work for a living

Khammam: Standing as a beacon for the women community, Gogineni Seethamma from a remote village of Khammam district is the cynosure of all eyes for her unique ability to prepare pickles out of materials available in the open environment. Fondly called as Patchalla Seethamma, she has carved a niche for herself by forming a DWAKRA Group nearly a decade back at her native town in Bayyaram mandal, in the company of 10 fellow women.

She prepares exotic pickles of different varieties in a fraction of time. Local people as well as from the neighbouring districts throng Seethamma’s place to savor pickles made by her. Over a period of time, she has learnt the art of preparing mouth watering pickle varieties, such as Mango pickle, ginger and gongura, mirchi and ripen tamarind, brinjal, lemon, kandagadda, cauliflower, chicken, mutton, prawns. Her pickles have earned big name not only across the state but even abroad. Seethamma has even bagged awards from the nation’s President in recognition of her delicious pickles.

Giving due credit to the then Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s initiative in forming Self-Help Groups, Seethamma said that DWAKRA groups have significantly enabled the women in rural areas to eke out earning on their own without depending on others. She appealed to the government to provide loan facility to those who depend on the business of preparing pickles as it keeps them in good demand both at the state and at national level.