An Interview with Sheena Mathew

Sheena Mathew, the owner of Fruitful, is someone most of us have frequently interacted with on campus. Her shop is always bustling with students who want to wind down after a hectic day and enjoy a hearty evening snack. Yet most students don’t know much about her beyond the surface. This conversation with her gives us a glance into her life, her experiences with the people on campus, and what it’s like to manage an outlet run entirely by women.

JC: Tell us a bit about yourself and your journey to running this eatery, ‘Fruitful,’ at the BITS Pilani, Hyderabad campus. When did you start this business? 

I am originally from Kerala, but I was born and brought up here. I was in Bombay for 23 years after my wedding. I was going to go back after the wedding, and then I got mixed up with this. Then, for 7 to 9 years, I’ve been here. I ended up in this business with my sister.

JC: Did you start this shop? 

No, my sister started it. Why we started this was because in our area, there were many women who were left alone, who didn’t have a husband, or whose husbands had died and left them alone. They had children to take care of, and they wouldn’t get enough work. They wanted to work twice, in the morning and evening. That is why we start in the evening. So we opened from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. That’s how the process started. Then we came to know that there was a stall. We actually started at tea time, and gradually we moved to a bigger place.

JC: Do you still run this place with your sister? 

My sister, when she was running the shop, suddenly got an opportunity to go abroad. They left, and then I took over. I used to come here on and off, so I knew how they operated. As of now, I am taking care of it. She might come back again as well.

JC: When did your sister open the shop? Have you been here since then?

She opened the shop in 2018. No, I used to come here on and off. But right now, for the past 3 years, I have been here full-time.

JC: Do you live outside the campus?

Yes. From Suchitra, I travel every day for 20 km by car. Sometimes I have a driver all the ladies working with me.

JC: Is the shop run only by women?

Yes, it’s only ladies here, and each one has a story. They were left alone, and their husbands don’t work. One is a student who has to fetch for her own fees and things like that. She goes to college in the morning and comes back to us at 3 o’clock. We pick her up from the bus stop, and then she comes here. She has lunch here and then does her work.

JC: That’s really inspiring. All of us did not know that, and I am sure most of the campus doesn’t either.

Earlier, before this girl came, there were two boys helping me. They were also students. Their parents weren’t working, so they had to fetch their own expenses. One boy worked for two years, and the other worked for one year. They finished their degrees, got jobs, and left.

JC: You truly are doing noble work on this campus.

Yes. We only started because of that. We needed a purpose.

Before we started this shop, we had another business bringing in ladies who needed help, and we had a small business like stitching and other tasks. Then this opportunity came up, so we shifted here. So all of us, three or four ladies who needed work, came here.

JC: So did BITS approach you, or did you approach them?

No, actually, through word of mouth, someone working here told us there was an opportunity at this stall here and asked if we wanted to put it up. My sister worked on it, not me.

JC: That’s amazing and a proud achievement you both have accomplished.

It’s actually more than what we are earning. What means more to us is that we are able to help some families. There are many families here, and their stories are heart-aching. So in any way, we are happy to help them.

JC: Most outlets on campus are open all day. Why do you open for a shorter duration? Does it affect business?

No, not exactly. I do all the baking at home every day. The fresh-baked items that come here daily are baked at home. I can’t do that every day if I open here in the morning as well. That’s one reason. Another reason is, like I told you earlier, these ladies work elsewhere in the morning, so they have this double duty.

JC: Have you thought about working in shifts?

I’m trying to. I am working on finding someone who can handle the morning part so I can come in the evening. I used to do that. Earlier, I used to operate in the morning for breakfast and lunch, and my sister used to come in the evening. But after COVID, I stopped because I had some other responsibilities. My in-laws are old, my parents are old, and all of them live with me.

JC: We see you have found a purpose to work here, but do you enjoy your life?

Yes, but “enjoy life” in the sense that there is no social life. I keep meeting new people like you, so it is good. Otherwise, there is no social life. Every day we have to come here, so there’s no going out, no friends. When you gain something, you lose something, right? So I have gained the satisfaction of helping four lives. 

JC: When did you shift from Mumbai? You said you were there for 23 years. What is the difference between living here and in Mumbai?

I shifted from Mumbai in 2018. In Mumbai, I had a busy life. It was a fun and a busy life. My husband still works there. I had to come back for my parents because my sister shifted to the US. We are still managing between two different cities. He may join later and handle the morning part, but that will still take some time. I’m thinking maybe 6-7 months. God knows.

JC: How do you like Hyderabad compared to Mumbai?

I like both. Each place has its own advantages and disadvantages.

JC: Do you think the working hours are harsh since you work from 4 pm to late night, 11 o’clock?

Not just 4-11 p.m. My day starts at 7 in the morning. I bake all of this at home.

JC: Do you get exhausted?

At times, yes. We are all human beings. I am 53 years old, and I have been running around since morning, so at times I have bone aches, back pain, and things like that. But it’s fun. At the end of the day, you are a dead log, and in the morning it’s a new start, a new beginning.

JC: Were you always fond of baking and cooking?

Yes. Not cooking exactly, but I am fond of baking. Cooking is honestly a daily chore for me. Baking is fun.

JC: What are your other hobbies?

I sing. I sing in the bathroom and in the kitchen when I’m baking. I love singing, but I’m not a singer.

JC: One thing I’ve noticed is most of my friends love getting the brownies, and it’s quite popular amongst the crowd. Were you always good at baking brownies?

I made many mistakes. I threw many brownies away, but I mastered it gradually. My daughter also helps me. She also likes baking.

JC: What do you think sells the most, in your opinion?

Each day is different. Sometimes everyone has burgers and sandwiches. It all depends on you guys and what your mood is, but we are ready for it. Baked items sell every day, though.

JC: On Thursdays you have a special menu.

Yes, sometimes Thursdays or Mondays, sometimes Sundays, sometimes in between, when I have less work, I add something extra.

JC: Why don’t you keep it every day?

It’s a business tactic. They won’t buy it every day; they will get tired of it and move on. 

JC: Have you interacted with other shop owners?

Yes, we have a good relationship. I speak to all the shopkeepers here. I like talking to people.

JC: You deal with a lot of young people here. Do you think there is any upside or downside to that?

I have children of that age, so I know a lot about how to handle young people. I love talking to all of you. Most of them are good. Some of them are ill-mannered, but that’s fine.

JC: Any interesting stories you have witnessed during your time here?

Yes, I’ve seen quite a lot. One student runs in as if in a rush, orders eggs, says, “I’ll come back again,” and then vanishes.

JC: Well, does he come back?

Yes, he comes back. We are ready with his eggs and waiting, and he says, “No, you give me half, then I’ll take half later.” There are many incidents that I don’t remember now. Also, there are many students who have never heard of appam. We serve it too, so I tell them to try it. They might like it. I even guarantee it sometimes. So they have it, and they are very happy with it.

JC: How do you manage the crowd on Thursdays? Is the crowd too much?

It is very hectic. When people come for appam, they also come for something else. So it’s four ladies alone, and at times it gets difficult. The crowd comes all together sometimes, and then there is chaos, then calmness after that.

JC: So it is really hectic for a day?

Yes, some days. On Fridays and Saturdays, we sit and tell personal stories among the ladies.

JC: How has it been for the ladies? You mentioned that every one of them has a story, and you all are catering to the business. How do they look up to you?

They are happy with me as of now. I know they are happy. You should probably ask them as well.

JC: What do you think is different about students here compared to other places?

Many students are busy with their studies, and they are always rushing. When they are free, they take time to come here and talk to me, and I like that. One thing is that students are free here. They don’t have too many restrictions here, and that is an advantage at times and a disadvantage as well. But it’s fine in the end.

JC: Any habits you have noticed among the students that you would like to address?

Yes, I would like to talk about cleanliness. What I don’t like is how they litter this place sometimes and sit in the corridor. These are basic manners.

JC: Do you have to clean the area outside?

We have to. At the end of the day, sometimes there are so many papers left here, even though we have provided a dustbin. Still, so many things are littered. Those things make me feel sad, despite so many students studying here in such a good environment.

JC: Why did you decide to open the shop inside the campus?

Because outside crowds are unpredictable. It’s all ladies working here, so it’s not safe either. Sometimes some men just walk in. We tried that also, but my parents were not comfortable with it. So when this opportunity came, we took it. At least there is a good crowd here.

JC: What languages are you well-versed in?

I speak Malayalam, I understand Tamil ,Marathi and Hindi too. I can speak, write, and read Telugu. So, Malayalam, English, Hindi and Telugu. Marathi and Tamil I understand, and the rest I can speak. So, four languages mastered and two languages with basic understanding.

JC: Do professors come to your shop?

Yes, many professors come. There are many good ones.

JC: Do any former students still keep in touch with you even after they have left the campus?

Yes. Many text me, and many students come and take pictures and say they’ll miss my baked items and food. That’s very sweet of them.