From boardrooms and AI to community kitchens and women’s empowerment, there is little that fits neatly into one box about Praneetha Aniruth. Her story is one of curiosity, courage and an instinct to turn challenges into opportunities, whether that means helping a business understand the power of AI or helping a family put food on the table.
Tabloid Newspapers sat ‘On the Couch’ with Aniruth to unpack the woman behind the titles, her unconventional journey into technology, the birth of the uMhlanga Women’s Association and her vision for creating opportunities that extend far beyond herself.
Tabloid Newspapers (TN): Tell us about Praneetha Aniruth. Who is the woman behind the entrepreneur, leader and changemaker?
Praneetha Aniruth (PA): Behind all the titles, I am someone who genuinely loves people, business, technology and the possibility of creating something that can make a difference. I am an entrepreneur, Co-Founder of the Carver Group, a wife and a mother of two sons. Family has always been very important to me, and those different parts of my life have shaped how I lead. Success is no longer only about what you build for yourself. I increasingly ask: “Who is better off because you were here?”
TN: Take us back to the beginning of your journey. Where did your passion for technology, entrepreneurship and innovation begin?
PA: My journey wasn’t a straight line into technology. I came from broadcasting, marketing and the corporate world. I worked in radio and at SABC News, and also spent time at Alexander Forbes before going into business. When I entered the technology space, I noticed there were very few women around me. Instead of allowing that to discourage me, it made me more curious. I studied Google Ads and immersed myself in digital marketing and technology. That curiosity eventually took me into digital transformation, innovation and now artificial intelligence.
TN: Tell us the story behind the birth of the uMhlanga Women’s Association. What inspired you to create this organisation?
PA: The uMhlanga Women’s Association was never something I sat down and planned to start. It was born out of the July 2021 unrest in KwaZulu-Natal. My husband, Avilash, suggested that I mobilise some women to prepare meals and refreshments for the men who were patrolling the neighbourhood. I created a WhatsApp group and essentially said, “Come over, bring whatever ingredients you have, and let’s cook.” More women arrived and soon we were hearing from communities beyond our neighbourhood that needed help. We initially distributed grocery hampers, but realised some families didn’t have electricity to cook, while others couldn’t afford transport to collect assistance. We then started preparing cooked meals and taking the food directly into communities. On 9 August 2021 — Women’s Day — the uMhlanga Women’s Association was formally registered as a non-profit company.
TN: Over the years, the Association has grown into a platform that supports and empowers communities. What has been the most meaningful part of that journey for you?
PA: The most meaningful part has been watching an emergency response become something sustainable. Giving somebody a meal matters enormously when they are hungry, but there is another level of impact when you help that same person regain dignity, develop a skill, earn an income or create an opportunity for their family. I particularly love the Green Goddess Project. Something one person no longer needs can become a meal for a family, funding for an outreach programme or the beginning of another woman’s small business.
TN: You have represented South Africa on international platforms and engaged with entrepreneurs across the world. What experiences have shaped your global perspective?
PA: Travel and international exposure have shown me how differently countries approach innovation and entrepreneurship. When I began studying Google technology, I became particularly interested in the American approach to marketing and innovation. That changed the way I thought about scale, digital communication and entrepreneurship. One particularly significant recognition came in February 2020, when I was invited by Harvard University to participate in a conference focused on the Changing Face of Entrepreneurship in Africa. Those experiences reinforced something I strongly believe: “South African entrepreneurs do not have to think small.” We can build here, solve African problems and still create products, businesses and ideas capable of competing globally.
TN: Community leadership often comes with challenges that people do not see. What has been the hardest part of your journey?
PA: The hardest part is understanding that the need never really ends. You help one family and discover another family in an even more difficult situation. You have limited money, limited resources and limited volunteers, but you’re dealing with human beings whose problems are very real. It can be emotionally difficult because you want to fix everything. Eventually you learn that leadership isn’t about personally solving every problem. It’s about building structures, partnerships and teams capable of creating sustainable solutions.
TN: When you reflect on everything you have achieved so far, which moment feels the most special to you?
PA: There have been wonderful professional moments — awards, businesses we’ve built, international opportunities and incredible clients. But if I had to choose one moment that represents something particularly personal, I would come back to 9 August 2021 — Women’s Day. Registering the uMhlanga Women’s Association after watching ordinary women come together during extraordinary circumstances was deeply significant. Nobody created it for recognition. There was a problem. People were hungry. Women stepped forward. Something born during one of the darkest periods in our province became an organisation capable of continuing to serve people years later. That is a very special legacy to be part of.
TN: What keeps you motivated to continue creating impact in your community and beyond?
PA: The knowledge that there is still work to do. Every time somebody gets a meal, gains a skill, receives an opportunity, or discovers how technology can help them grow, there is a ripple effect. The same principle applies to my professional work. When I train entrepreneurs or executives in AI, I want them to know how to use technology to become more productive, make better decisions, create opportunities and grow responsibly. Ultimately, what motivates me is possibility — “the possibility that something we do today could change somebody’s tomorrow.”
TN: Finish the sentence: “The world needs more women who…”
PA: “…use their voices, create opportunities, lift other women as they rise, and have the courage to turn compassion into action.” That, to me, is what Women’s Day should remind us of. It should celebrate the extraordinary women who came before us, but also challenge every woman to ask: “What will the women who come after us inherit because of what we chose to do today?”
