Otara's Profile

History

Having schooled in one of Colombo's premier girl's school, Ladies College, Otara has always been an avid sportswoman. She represented her school in athletics and swimming and the country in high jump and hurdles. She proceeded to read for a Biology Degree in the US and would later go on to be inducted into her alma mater Hall of Fame. Down in Sri Lanka for a holiday, she dabbled in modeling only to be drawn into it in a professional way – shooting for high profile brands and international apparel catalogues right after completing her graduation.
Otara hails from an illustrious family. Her father, Norman Gunawardene, is one of the best known corporate leaders in the country, steering Aitken Spence to its status as a blue-chip group; her mother, Delysia, has nurtured the Chitra Lane School for differently-abled children; while her brothers, Ajit and Ruchi, are respected professionals in Sri Lanka's corporate sector.
A chance request by an apparel manufacturer to help him dispose an assortment of export surplus garments led her to set up shop in the boot of her. Her friends were her first regular clientele and she consolidated this early success by selling to other stores in Colombo as well. Although the civil war would ravage the country for over 2 decades, Otara would find the conditions challenging & realising the enormous potential in this segment, she set up her first retail outlet on Dickman’s Road - ODEL - a combination of her first name, Otara, with her middle name, Del. Incidentally, "Otara" means "reincarnation" in Sanskrit. This time was also fortuitous for the young entrepreneur, as she met and married Raju Chandiram in 1990. Although the two divorced 14 years later, they have two sons, Kiran (born 1994) and Rakhil (born 2000).
The response to Odel's offerings was so great that in no time Otara felt compelled to expand the number of outlets. Soon, that single outlet grew into a chain of outlets, including ones at Majestic City, Liberty Plaza, Trans Asia Hotel and so on. The main flagship store is currently housed at Ward Place in a massive colonial style house. After the war was officially declared finished in May 2009, Otara went on to expand her branches island wide with 12 retail stores and take her brands international with franchises in the Maldives, India and United Kingdom.
 

Brands

ODEL - www.odel.lk
BACKSTAGE - www.ilovebackstage.com
EMBARKwww.embark.lk
OTARA - www.otara.lk
OTONE - www.otonefitness.com

CSR

Otara has used throughout the years the status of Odel as a brand to act as a springboard for her CSR activities. She created the brand ‘Embark’ (www.embark.lk) – Otara’s very own personal initiative for the welfare of street dogs, which aims to promote the well-being of animals by creating awareness, raising funds and simultaneously organising individual projects in conjunction with other animal welfare associations, treating street dogs and finding kind homes for them.
Odel has also been deeply involved in providing relief to the victims of the tsunami, constructing 18 quality houses to benefit families affected by the tsunami. The tree planting and Bundala National park and beach clean-up drives have witnessed a gathering of both young and old as they stood shoulder to shoulder with Odel in achieving significant gains.
The Odel range of t-shirts featuring messages/pictures of a range of endangered animals has created strong awareness about animal conservation. Sponsoring the welfare of physically disabled children was another successful project that Odel was associated with in the past. In 2009 Otara was one of many global celebrity volunteers participating in "Mekong Build 2009" Carter Work Project in Thailand organized by Habitat for Humanity to which she is the Sri Lankan ambassador.

Accolades

• In 2008, Otara was awarded the 'Retail Leadership Award' at the Asia Retail Congress in India.
• In 2008, Otara was invited as a leading fashion entrepreneur and anointed 'Woman of Saabstance' by Saab Cars Singapore.
• In 2008, she was named as Sri Lankan Ambassador for World Animal Day.
• Otara nominated as the 'Face of Alankara' in 2007, a jewellery brand that reflects modern designs for the woman of today.
• Appointed Dior Brand Ambassador by Colombo Jewellery Stores.
• An orchid has been named after Otara by the Horticultural and Flora Conservation Society of Sri Lanka. Known by the biological name of Dendrobrium Otara, this new one-of-a-kind orchid is a unique tribute to Otara's achievements.
• In 2008, Otara was inducted into her alma mater - the Bowling Green State University's - Dallas-Hamilton Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame, for forging a successful business career after graduating from the university.
• Selected the SAARC Woman of Achievement for 2008.
• Receiving the Zonta Award for Woman of Achievement in 2002 was another crowning moment in her career.
• Winning the national coveted award, the 'Entrepreneur of the Year Sri Lanka 2001', awarded by FCCISL, was true recognition of Otara’s entrepreneurial achievements.
• In 2000, being adjudged 'The Most Outstanding Young Person in Sri Lanka' under the aegis of Jaycees was one of the early awards that foretold of her future growth trajectory.
• In 1996, the doors of Odel's flagship store were thrown open to the public.