Uma Katiki – Transforming Lives, One Women At A Time

By Jatinder Singh Bedi, Chief Editor, Hello NRI

CHICAGO - Uma Katiki is a women of substance. Harbinger of women self-reliance, Uma Katiki is a ray of hope for the under-privileged women. When it comes to domestic violence, Uma is the first to hold its victims’ hand. Multiple examples can be citied where Uma Katiki’s intervention resulted in uplifting the downtrodden women. Her subsequent continuous support made these victims self reliant.

Such widespread is word of her pro-women initiatives that people from far-and-wide reach out to her seeking help. “Helping women is my passion; I am known for my helpful attitude,” Uma Katiki says. “I get calls seeking help from distant places as far of as Maryland!” she adds. And rightly so.

Even in her native Chicagoland, Uma Katiki’s sharply contrating trademark ‘we’ stance defies the local frivolous organizations’. A towering leader in her own might Uma is a beacon of hope for the needy in the community. To her women empowerment (‘we’) means: “Helping a woman to acquire a new skill. And the, help her develop it into her small business. She, thus, stands on her own feet.”

In Uma Katiki’s direct-dictum appears a sharp reflection of Mother Teresa’s ideology. To quote Nobel Laureate Mother Teresa on women empowerment: “Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.” And, this is what Uma Katiki is replicating. Uma’s initiatives draw a very close consonance with Mother Teresa’s. Victim-by-victim, needy-by-needy, woman-by-woman, Uma has transformed many lives in the community. There are households who take pride in saying that they are self-reliant and owe their existence to Uma Katiki’s life-injecting seeding support to them. And, this is the modus operandi of Uma Katiki.

“I have experience in community affairs, and want to help create jobs opportunities for the women,” explains Uma Katiki, and adds: “I educate women and assist them set-up their own business.” It was this very initiative that Uma Katiki was picked up to chair a variety of community fora. These include several at the TANA. It be mentioned that TANA is a widespread organization with over 40000 members of Telugu origin. Not to speak of TANA, Uma Katiki attracted thousands of seniors, women and children towards the day-long celebrations that she organized as President of the Chicago Andhra Association. Numerous such examples of her astute leadership can be citied.

In Uma Katiki’s direct-dictum appears a sharp reflection of Mother Teresa’s ideology. To quote Nobel Laureate Mother Teresa on women empowerment: “Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.” And, this is what Uma Katiki is replicating. Uma’s initiatives draw a very close consonance with Mother Teresa’s. Victim-by-victim, needy-by-needy, woman-by-woman, Uma has transformed many lives in the community. 

Diving deep into her experiences, one discovers an ocean full of the recognitions and appointments Uma Katiki has held over the period of time. Besides having been part of Andhra Pradesh Government’s overseas initiatives, Uma has also been the TANA Women Forum National Co-chair. These apart, her other achievements include: 2019-2021 TANA Midwest Women's Forum Chair; 2019 TANA Midwest DhimTana Coordinator; 2019 Joint Secretary, Federation of Indian Associations; 2017-2019 TANA Women's National Forum Co-chair; iCan ‘Best Community Promotor’ Award 2017 winner; 2018 First Women President, Chicago Andhra Association (CAA); 2017 Core Team, Women Empowerment Campaign (WEC); 2016-2018 APNRTs Chicago Coordinator; 2016-2017 Vice President, Chicago Andhra Association (CAA); 2016 Organizer, Women's Day in Chicago; 2015 Board of Director, Telugu Association of Greater Chicago (TAGC); 2015 Organized TAGC Women's Day; 2013-2015 Youth Committee Co-Chair, TAGC.

Despite such great accomplishments, Uma Katiki is a humility personified. Unlike many a stagejumpers, Uma Katiki is an invisible buttress to many organizations. Andhra Pradesh Non Resident Telugus Society (APNRTS) is one such example. APNRTS had been instituted by the Government of Andhra Pradesh to assist NRIs establish their business in the State. Government appointed Uma Katiki to be part of the APNRTS. She played a key role in making APNRTS endeavors a success.

Uma Katiki, President of Chicago Andhra Association honors Seshumamba Tellapragada at CAA Convention held at Chicago. Mar 2018.

During the onslaught of Covid-19 pandemic during May 2020 and September 2020, Uma Katiki organized two Annadanams (Grain Distributions) under the aegis of the TANA Foundation at Vijayawada. Not many are aware of this. She execrates flamboyancy.

Not to speak of the community affairs, Uma Katiki is an accomplished business leader too! In Chicago, she runs a thriving IT conglomerate which is spread across continents. Knowing all these virtues, one can well imagine as to wherefrom comes Uma Katiki’s ability to teaching business skills to the needy women and transform them into self-reliant entities. It’s a uniquely commendable way of putting the personal skills to the benefit of the community. And such personality attributes come to her from her upbringing.

Uma Katiki has been a brilliant student all her life. He academic qualifications speak for themselves. Her degrees include: Masters, Mhil, PhD, Stanford Certification in BioInfomatics, and Clinical Trial Certification from University of Chicago. Back home she has been a reputed revenue service officer with Andhra Pradesh Government. She is a loving mother of a promising son and an accomplished daughter. He husband Mr Bhaskar, a professor of repute from India, is now an extremely successful entrepreneur.

That way, one can say: “Uma Katiki is a born leader.” Isn’t she?

ALSO SEE: https://youtu.be/1wFH3oZDJBk