Her Pride

Pioneering retail fashion in Sri Lanka and reaching international heights on her own merit has attracted accolades from many prestigious institutions and serve to reaffirm her status as an entrepreneur par excellence.

Looking back at all the accolades that have come her way since she established ODEL, Otara feels blessed in every way. Each and every accolade, big and small, has spurred her on to explore newer avenues for growth and expansion. Yet, her deepest concern always is to ensure that all those who enter the portals of Odel witness the most supreme shopping experience that will remain unforgettable for eternity. Otara’s untiring endeavour has always been to add value in every which way and this has inspired all the new additions to Odel’s portfolio of offerings.

Soon after, she was appointed Dior Brand Ambassador by Colombo Jewellery Stores. As the ambassador for Dior in Sri Lanka, Otara could create greater awareness for high fashion – an effort she had pioneered with the setting up of Odel, bringing all the accoutrements of international runways to Sri Lanka.

A rose by any name might smell as sweet, but an orchid named after Otara by the Horticultural and Flora Conservation Society of Sri Lanka, will always be special. Known by the biological name of Dendrobrium Otara, this new one-of-a-kind orchid is a unique tribute to Otara’s achievements.

Otara has always been the darling of the media, receiving abundant media coverage from the inception of Odel, tracking every milestone and lauding every effort. Over the years, Otara and Odel have featured in the local media apart from international appearances in CNBC Asia’s TV show, ‘Asian Entrepreneurs’ and on ZEE TV, as well as the Singapore-based magazine, Retail Asia, The Straits Times, Verve and the US-based Retail Ad World amongst many others - all of whom have lauded her entrepreneurship,

Last but not the least, are the various Odel advertising campaigns that have carved out a unique positioning for the brand, being hailed internationally and anticipated eagerly every year, especially Odel’s Christmas campaigns. It is hard to keep track of the numerous advertising awards that Odel campaigns have won over the years, but Otara remains personally involved in every aspect of the Odel brand…

Achievements and Accolades

• In 1986, Otara Graduated from the University of Bowlingreen Ohio in the USA
• In 1989, she started selling export surplus clothing and hair care products to family and friends from the boot of her trusty blue station wagon
• In 1990, Sri Lanka’s most innovative fashion brand, Odel is born at a trendy commercial space in Colombo 5 with a little over 1,100 sq feet
• In 1999, the 35,000 sq. ft. colonial mansion of its flagship store on Alexandra Place, Colombo 7 opens its doors for shopping
• In 2004, Odel unveils its new brand identity under the theme “Mind, Body and Soul”
• In 2007, a new collection  of fashion accessories are launched under the Backstage brand
• The same year, Odel’s trademark CR project Embark, was born out of Otara’s passion to give all dogs a home, the love and respect they deserve. Since its inception, the programme has sterilized 4,286 strays, re-homed more than 200 puppies and treated many injured animals.
• In November, 2009, Otara was bestowed with the honour of being made the country’s new Goodwill Ambassador for Habitat for Humanity.
• In July 2010, Otara became the first female entrepreneur to take a company public in Sri Lanka. This also made Odel, the first ever fashion retailer to go public in the country.
• On the 05th of July, Odel kept yet another record at the Colombo Stock Exchange. The IPO was oversubscribed by 64 times on the same day as it opened. 
• A business which was started by Otara, with just 2 staff members, a little over 1,100 sqft and 01 store has now expanded to over 700 staff members, over 135,000 sqft of shopping experience and 13 stores in the country. 
• In 2010, November,  She outshone leading female entrepreneurs from around the world to bring honour to her motherland by winning the best female entrepreneur award at the seventh US Stevie Awards for Women in Business held in New York.

Other achievements

• 2000 - Jaycees’ Most Outstanding Young Person in Sri Lanka
• 2001 - Federation of Chambers and Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) Entrepreneur of the Year 2001 Award
• 2002 - Zonta Woman of Achievement Award
• 2007 - Alankara Jewelry, Face of Alankara Brand Ambassador
• 2008 - She was inducted into the Dallas-Hamilton Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame, class of 2009 as an outstanding innovator at the Bowling Green State University, Ohio USA.
• 2008 - South Asian Association for Regional Corporation’s (SAARC) Woman of Achievement
• 2008 - Retail Leadership Award, Asia Retail Congress, India
• 2008 - Woman of Saabstance, Saab Cars, Singapore
• 2008 - World Animal Day, Sri Lankan Ambassador
• 2009 - Colombo Jewelry Stores, Dior Brand Ambassador
• Her personal website, www.otara.lk won the ‘Best Personal Website’ award for the first time in 2010 conducted by the Lanka Domain Registry Office