Smita Chatterji, a pioneer in the fields of technology, sustainability, and entrepreneurship, was recently appointed as the chairperson of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Indian Women Network (IWN), West Bengal, for the 2025–2026 term. My Kolkata spoke to the longstanding member of CII and a current representative on its State Council for West Bengal, about her journey, mission and vision. Personal strengths and legacy
Originally hailing from Prayagraj (Allahabad), Chatterji moved to Kolkata in 1999 and has since made it her base. A firm believer in continuous learning, she credits her success to a strong support system. She emphasises the importance of resilience and risk-taking for women in business.
Chatterji's association with IWN began in 2019, when she first participated in the ‘Breaking Barriers’ event as a panellist. “That was my first exposure to an event completely focused on women entrepreneurs,” she recalled. Inspired by the mentorship and leadership initiatives within IWN, she officially joined the network in 2020. Since then, she has been an active contributor, deeply influenced by her work across the mental health, entrepreneurship, and skill-building spheres.
Journey from an entrepreneur to an advocate of sustainability
Chatterji is also the founder of sustainable clothing brands Shu Sam & Smith and Haathe Bona
Founder and group CEO of Centreax Group, Chatterji leads two companies: Centreax Technologies and Centreax Textiles, the parent of brands Shu Sam & Smith and Hathe Bona. With 25 years of experience, she specialises in strategic planning, IT integrations, and custom cloud solutions. Her clients include global banks and UN agencies, with her applications serving over three million users.
She also runs successful ventures in handmade textiles and children’s apparel, working with grassroots weavers across India and e-commerce platforms to promote sustainable fashion through Hathe Bona.
Chatterji holds the rare distinction of being the first Indian woman to implement a comprehensive sustainability solution for the tea industry, creating traceable quality systems for small growers and large estates. Her solution ensures complete transparency — from plucking to packaging, helping improve quality and regulatory compliance.
Her work in industrial safety has been equally transformative. Collaborating with Australian firms and major chemical companies, she introduced critical training and compliance systems for safe chemical handling — work that earned recognition from the Indian Chemical Council.
Empowering through leadership
Chatterji with daughter and husband
With a postgraduate degree in Strategic Use of IT and Total Quality Management from the University of British Columbia and certifications from QAI, Cisco, and Microsoft, Chatterji combines deep technical expertise with a passion for mentoring others. Sharing her vision as the new chairperson, Chatterji said, “I plan to focus on areas like legal awareness, building resources on women’s legal rights through publications like Gavel & Grit. Teaching women how to earn sustainably from home, using zero-inventory models and digital platforms. I will also work towards health advocacy, partnering with hospitals to raise awareness about breast cancer. Industrial inclusion is also on the cards. Hosting discussions on women’s roles in mining, heavy industries, and manufacturing. Finally, I am planning to collaborate with the government to strengthen women-focussed policy frameworks.”
Chatterji’s message to aspiring women professionals is, “Don’t be scared. Keep going. Take calculated risks, but never stop. Economic independence is not optional — it’s essential.”