The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu interacted with a group of women who are founders and co-founders of leading start-ups and unicorns at Rashtrapati Bhavan today (January 18, 2024). This meeting took place under the initiative “The President with the People” which aims to establish a deeper connect with people and recognise their contributions.

During the interaction with women entrepreneurs, the President said that these women entrepreneurs have changed the Indian business environment. She underlined that the ‘Start-up India’ programme was launched with the aim of harnessing the potential of our youth and strengthening the entrepreneurial environment in the country. She appreciated them for making invaluable contributions in achieving the objective of this programme. She said that due to the innovative efforts of youth like them, today India has the third largest start-up ecosystem in the world with about 1,17,000 start-ups and more than 100 unicorns.

The President said that their journey and achievements as entrepreneurs are a source of inspiration for the people, especially women and youth. From tech start-ups to social enterprises, their work gives an impressive insight into the diverse dimensions of Indian women's capabilities in the world of entrepreneurship. She said that their contribution is not limited to economic development. They have broken traditional barriers and shown the path of empowerment to future generations. They are the architect of an inclusive economic future in which the path to progress is paved not on the basis of gender but on the basis of talent and ambition. The President stated that they are not just a business-leaders; they are the harbingers of change. They are role models for millions of young women who dare to dream of their progress and development.

The President urged the women entrepreneurs to identify other enterprising women and think of new ways to support them in their journey of empowerment. She said that there are many women who dream of being financially independent, but they do not know what path they should take to achieve this goal. She said that their success should create a ripple effect so that we can hear such success stories from all parts of the country. She said that we should resolve to work together to build an India where every woman is empowered and every young woman moves forward with confidence to fulfil her dreams.

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DS/AK