GANDERBAL: Central University of Kashmir (CUKashmir), in collaboration with the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), Friday organised a one-day workshop on “Socio-Economic impact of the Startups Initiative in select Areas of North India” under a sponsored Research Project, at varsity’s Green campus here.
I/c Vice Chancellor, and Head Department of Management Studies, Prof. Abdul Gani, inaugurated the event which was attended by Professor, Delhi School of Business, (VIPTS-TC), Prof. Meghna Chhabra, Director CEO, Centre for Innovation and ED, Islamic University of Science and Technology, (IUST), Prof. Pervez Ahmad Mir, Head Deptt of Sociology, CUHP, Prof. Anil Kumar, Associate Professor, University of Kashmir, Dr. Farzana Gulzar, Project Coordinators and Directors ICSSR, Short Term Project, Deptt of Tourism Studies, Dr. Ramjit and Deptt of Politics and Governance, CUkashmir, Dr. Hima Bindu Mukhtipudi, faculty members, research scholars and students.
Addressing the participants, Prof. Abdul Gani, underscored the need for continuous and sustained industry-academia collaborations for promoting the entrepreneurship culture. “Through the industry-academia collaborations, entrepreneurs gain access to a wealth of resources, including mentorship, funding opportunities, and cutting-edge technologies. Moreover, these partnerships foster a culture of innovation, where ideas are nurtured, refined, and transformed into viable ventures,” Prof. Gani said. He said that while academia serves as the cradle of knowledge and research, industries offer real-world applications and market insights. Prof. Gani further added that those aspiring to start their own business ventures have to be innovative, creative and ready to take calculated risks.
Speaking on the occasion, Professor, Delhi School of Business, (VIPTS-TC), Prof. Meghna Chhabra, said, the number of startups across the country have increased manifold due to the strategic initiatives and policies framed by the Government of India. “The flagship schemes including, Startup India, Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, Atal Innovation Mission, Pradhan Mantri Yuva Yojana, Invest India, Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme for Startups etc aim to foster a culture of entrepreneurship, facilitate access to finance and resources, promote innovation, and create a conducive ecosystem for startups to flourish in India,” she said. Prof. Meghna asked the students to take full advantage of these schemes in order to realise their dream of establishing a business venture.
In his presentation, Prof. Pervez Ahmad Mir, showcased the stories of the students who have been successful in starting their ventures after graduating from the IUST. “Those intending to start any entrepreneurial unit should necessarily have a strong will power, perseverance, and focus to achieve the required goal,” Prof. Pervez said. He further said that fostering an entrepreneurship culture is essential for driving sustainable growth and prosperity of the country.
In his address, Dr. Ramjit, said the study indicates that these startups have generated employment opportunities across various sectors, ranging from technology to services. “The startups have played a role in empowering women thereby breaking traditional gender barriers and promoting inclusivity,” he said. Dr. Ramjit
Prof. Anil Kumar, and Dr. Farzana Gulzar also shared their views about the topic and said, the startups have had a transformative effect on India’s socio-economic landscape, showcasing a paradigm shift in the region’s development narrative. They further added that through a combination of policy reforms, financial incentives, and capacity-building programmes, the initiatives by the Government of India, have empowered aspiring entrepreneurs to transform innovative ideas into scalable businesses.
Dr. Hima Bindu Mukhtipudi, conducted the proceedings of the inaugural session and Asst Prof. DTS, Dr. Adil Amin Nazki proposed the vote of thanks. During the technical session, conducted by Asst Prof. DTS, Dr. Abid Suhail Nika, the resource persons, threadbare deliberated upon the research findings and asked the team to share the outcome with the concerned agencies, so that the lacunas in implementing the scheme for promotion of entrepreneurship, will be addressed immediately.