New Delhi, February 2022.

Under the flagship initiative by the Government of India to celebrate 75 years of India’s independence, Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD) has organised a digital conclave on holistic empowerment of women through entrepreneurship. The digital conclave Women Empowerment through Entrepreneurship: The Changing Landscape recognised women entrepreneurs whose innovative approach and ideas have brought about a promising change in the business and entrepreneurship ecosystem in India.

The event provided a platform to budding women entrepreneurs to share their success stories, learn from policymakers and discuss resources for ventures. The conclave was organised in association with the Indo-German Development Cooperation Project—Economic Empowerment of Women Entrepreneurs and Startups by Women (Project Her&Now)—and jointly implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

Shri Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) inaugurated the conclave. The session witnessed eminent speakers discussing emerging opportunities, government initiatives aimed at supporting women enterprise development and explored solutions to challenges faced by them.

Ms Anuradha Vemuri, Director General NIESBUD and Joint Secretary MSDE also attended the event and laid out the agenda. Moreover, Ms Kanta Singh, Deputy Country Representative, UN Women India; and Ms Julia Karst, Project Head, Her and Now, GIZ India addressed the audience.

Lauding NIESBUD’s efforts to bring together the stakeholders of the women entrepreneur’s community on one platform, Shri Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, MSDE said, “Entrepreneurship development process for women in India is increasingly being recognised as an important untapped source of economic growth, that is capable of creating new employment opportunities and avenues for economic independence for women. It is my earnest request to the government, policy makers, partner organisations like UNICEF, UNDP, GIZ, the banking ecosystem and other stakeholders to collaborate for creating synergies for Women’s economic empowerment through entrepreneurship. With proper training and assistance women entrepreneurs could transform India’s economy and society.”

Reiterating that participation of women in entrepreneurship plays a vital role in the socioeconomic transformation of a nation, Anuradha Vemuri, Director General NIESBUD and Joint Secretary MSDE, stated, “Promoting entrepreneurship is key to the country’s macroeconomic indicators and has been instrumental in shaping many policy initiatives like Stand-Up India, Start-Up India, Make in India, etc. As the nodal Ministry enabling entrepreneurship and skill development, it is our avowed intent to develop the start-up ecosystem into a self-serving industry that creates opportunities for the country’s burgeoning talent pool in the organised and unorganised sector, in rural and urban India. Our schemes towards skill training and promoting entrepreneurship are aimed at achieving the purpose of harnessing the youth.”

The landscape for women's entrepreneurship in the country has been gradually evolving over the last few years, bringing fresh opportunities for enterprising women. NIESBUD has collaborated with GIZ to expand its training activities and fulfil the Skill Development Mission.

The event also celebrated a few successful women entrepreneurs trained under Skill India. One such woman innovator is DayaPatki. Hailing from Raigad, Maharashtra, she founded Bamboo Tantra in September 2018. Daya enrolled in the Green Skill Development Program conducted in Forest Research Institute, Dehradun and completed a certificate course in Bamboo Propagation and Management. Along with this course, she also completed her training in Entrepreneurship Development Program from NIESBUD, Dehradun.Bamboo Tantra has managed to make a name for itself. It participated in various exhibitions in Pune and Mumbai and created online profiles on Facebook and Instagram to market its products. In its first year itself, the company sold bamboo products worth Rs. 80,000 and in 2019-20,the sales soared upto Rs.4,21,000.  Another such example is Suvarna Rasal of Maharashtra who has received training under the incubation programme of GIZ and Mann Deshi. She now runs her own idol manufacturing business named Swami Samarth Gift Article. Suvarna feels that being independent and being able to support her family has made her empowered. She strongly believes that more women should work and have their own businesses to boost their economic status. Suvarna is keen to share her experience and motivate women across different regions to come forward and join the Skill India Mission.