She manifests a clear and convincing stance, her tone spontaneous and concise, and her attitude always positive–Hemalatha Annamalai embodies and demonstrates the qualities of a go-getter entrepreneur. Hemalatha is the founder of Coimbatore-based electric vehicle firm, Ampere Vehicles. Her father, who was also her mentor, inspired her to kickstart her startup. Ampere Vehicles manufactures electric cycles, scooters, and three-wheelers.
It all started at a conference on electric vehicles in Japan which she attended in 2007 with her husband Bala Pachyappa. That set them off on a new journey and she moved back to Coimbatore after spending close to 18 years in Singapore. A Computer Science graduate in 1989, Hemalatha had worked in Wipro for about 6 years.
Ampere Vehicles, which counts Ratan Tata and Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan as investors, has come a long way since it was founded. In 2018, Greaves Cotton, a leading diversified engineering company, has acquired a 67% stake in Ampere Vehicles.
Her journey from a start-up owner to a leading entrepreneur was an enriching one, she feels. And the challenges she faced were the best learning experiences.
