Sun Is Rising on Women entrepreneurship; Fostering a Self-Reliant India
Closer home, women entrepreneurs who have risen to the pedestal of female icons are far and few –Kiran Mazumdar Shaw of Biocon, Vandana Luthra of VLCC and Ritu Kumar. Women participation increased in the workforce and several women are wetting their feet in the startup ecosystem.
The formal participation of women in the workforce has increased from 12% in the 1970s to 25% today. However, the irony here is that a large part of the women participation is in the informal sector, which is not accounted for.
About 14% of Indian women own or run businesses, according to the 2014 Economic Census. More than 90% of companies run by women are microenterprises, and about 79% are self-financed. Howsoever long the road to gender neutrality, statistics have been very encouraging. And hopefully, with this article, we inspire women who are sitting on the fence to take the leap and make their mark on the road towards an inclusive and diverse world.
Secret ingredients for a woman’s success?
There are no secrets to success – just some strategic decisions, hard work and a dash of luck. In general, some factors that have worked for some women entrepreneurs:
While this non-exhaustive list of factors does not promise success, they do play a key role in ensuring women get a level playing field in a formerly controlled patriarchal world of business.
Women in action
bunch of women entrepreneurs mushroom across different segment. In fashion and consumer goods, where women have an edge, we have seen a bunch of women build credible businesses and brands:
Interesting businesses to highlight
The above are just a few illustrations, which signify the diverse sectors women are in and the innovative ways they have come up for solving solutions at scale. The tip of the iceberg is just beginning to surface. The hidden potential of the women is huge and an important factor in the growth of India at this pivotal stage.
Truly, if India wants to become ‘Atmanirbhar’ in the 21st century, women are going to play a major role to build more indigenous solutions – she constitutes almost 50% of the population. With the support of government interventions, family support, right networks and funding partners, we will see more and more women building successful businesses. Not because they are women – but because of their ability and capability – because they are THE women.
_20240904170929_original_image_33.webp)
