Bharatiya Yuva Shakti Trust hosts ‘Mentoring Women Grampreneurs for Lasting Change’ Virtual Conference
Launches compendium to celebrate successful women entrepreneurs and recognise women mentors across BYST clusters
Pune (P&V News service): On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2022, Bharatiya Yuva Shakti Trust (BYST) organising a digital event “Mentoring Women Grampreneurs® for Lasting Change.” The event celebrated and showcased the success of BYST supported women entrepreneurs across the country. It also featured a special component to recognise the importance of mentoring in the success of young entrepreneurs and felicitate select mentors from the BYST network across the country.
The first segment of the event saw Ms. Lakshmi V. Venkatesan, Founding and Managing Trustee, Bharatiya Yuva Shakti Trust in conversation with Ms. Nusrat Pathan, Head of CSR, HDFC Bank, in a fireside chat titled ‘I & My Mentor.’ They discussed the importance of mentoring, guidance, and support in the journeys of young entrepreneurs, especially women. The discussion was followed by a Live Q&A conducted over the BYST Facebook Live and YouTube Live platforms. The fireside chat was moderated by Ms. Mala Chandra, Member, BYST National Women’s Mentor Panel.
Underlining the key role played by BYST since 1992, Ms. Lakshmi Venkatesan, Founding & Managing Trustee said, “If there is one learning that stands out above all else, it is the importance of providing an empowering ecosystem not just for entrepreneurs in Hi-tech and big cities but one that nurtures micro-entrepreneurs in small towns and villages.”
“BYST has drawn out an ambitious strategic plan for the next five years to support fifty thousand entrepreneurs and create 2.5 million jobs across India with the active support of other stakeholders – the Government, Financial Institutions and Industry at large,” Ms. Venkatesan added.
The second segment of the event saw Mr. Subodh Bhargava, Chairman, BYST and Former Chairman, Tata Communications lead the gathering in observing a minute’s silence to honour the memory of late Mr. Rahul Bajaj, Former Chairman Bajaj Group and Former Chairman and Patron, BYST.
This was followed by invited speakers – Ms. Anjilee Istwal, Senior Journalist, NDTV, Ms. Mamta Kohli, Senior Development Advisor, FCDO UK, Ms. Marta Krupinska, Head of Google for Start-ups UK and Chair, Youth Business International (YBI), and Ms. Mamta Singhania, President, Sparsh Social Foundation – sharing their viewpoints on the topic ‘Empowering Women Entrepreneurs through Mentoring’.
Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Marta Krupinska, Head of Google for Start-ups UK and Chair of YBI said, Organisations like YBI and BYST play a very crucial role in empowering young people to succeed in running their businesses who in turn create new jobs and shape local economies. Notably, BYST has supported around 10,000 disadvantaged youth to become entrepreneurs. With the support from 8,000 mentors, these entrepreneurs have created 3.32 lakh jobs. Around 100 of the entrepreneurs have won national and international awards.”
Adding her perspective, Ms. Mamta Singhania, President, Sparsh Social Foundation said, “I would like to extend my warm wishes to Bharatiya Yuva Shakti Trust on having completed 30 years in the service of underprivileged youth looking for a means of livelihood. We are happy to be a part of this journey since 2017. Together BYST and JK Paper have been working in Rayagada in challenging terrains operating in three blocks covering over 100 villages with over 80% population from the tribal community. This programme has been able to reach out to 33,785 youth, counselled and trained 8,580 and 2,561 youth, respectively. Mentoring is the need of the hour to help underprivileged entrepreneurs from remote areas acquire the means to improve their business efficiency and efficacy. We are very happy being a part of this initiative.”
During special segments* of the event, Ms. Asha V M, a successful BYST supported Grampreneur® from Hyderabad and Ms. Naina Shah, a BYST Mentor from Chennai shared their experiences with the audience.
BYST women mentors, Ms. Renuka Borvankar, Faculty, Nutrition & Yoga, VLCC Institute of Nutrition & Health, Aurangabad and Dr. Annapoorni M, Associate Professor, Department of Commerce, Ethiraj College for Women, Chennai who have recently completed the BYST Mentor Development Programme were awarded accreditation certificates.
A special BYST International Women’s Day Compendium of Women Grampreneur® Stories featuring fourteen (14) BYST supported women entrepreneurs and seven (7) BYST Mentors was released on the occasion. Copies were handed over to Grampreneurs® and Mentors who attended the event ‘in person’ from the BYST cluster offices in Rayagada (Odisha), Ranchi (Jharkhand), and Kolhapur (Maharashtra).
Mr. Subhash Shejwal, Winner YBI National Mentor 2021 Award for the Eastern Asia and Pacific Region and Finalist, YBI Global Mentor of the Year Award was felicitated by Mr. Subodh Bhargava, Chairman, BYST in the presence of dignitaries.
The event was watched live by more than 500 participants from International Agencies, Civil Society Organisations, Corporates, FIs/Banks, NGOs, Government Ministries, CSR Foundations, Educational Institutes, students, BYST potential and supported entrepreneurs, senior mentors, and our friends from the media.
Programme Highlights:
The major highlights of the programme included –
· Facebook Live Chat and Q&A Session featuring Ms. Lakshmi V. Venkatesan, Founding and Managing Trustee, Bharatiya Yuva Shakti Trust in conversation with Ms. Nusrat Pathan, Head of CSR, HDFC Bank, and moderated by Ms. Mala Chandra, Member, BYST National Women’s Mentor Panel.
· Entrepreneur and Mentor Experience Sharing Session featuring Ms. Asha V M, a successful BYST supported woman entrepreneur from Hyderabad and Ms. Naina Shah, a BYST Mentor from Chennai.
· Award of Accreditation Certificates to BYST Mentors – Ms. Renuka Borvankar from Aurangabad and Dr. Annapoorni M. from Chennai.
· Release of a BYST International Women’s Day Compendium of Women Grampreneur® Stories (March 2022) featuring fourteen BYST supported women entrepreneurs and the life-changing roles played by seven BYST Mentors.
· Recognition of BYST Award-Winning Mentor Mr. Subhash Shejwal, Winner YBI National Mentor 2021 Award for the Eastern Asia and Pacific Region and Finalist, YBI Global Mentor of the Year Award by Mr. Subodh Bhargava, Chairman, BYST.
