Noida: "Successful
entrepreneurs must become champions for the next generation of founders by
mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs, sharing their experiences and creating
pathways for others to succeed," said Shri Jayant Chaudhary,
Hon'ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development &
Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, Government of India,
while addressing Alumni Connect, the first alumni meet of the National
Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD),
organised under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship (MSDE) at the institute's Noida campus today.
"Learning and skilling
are lifelong journeys, and our engagement with entrepreneurs should continue
well beyond the classroom. If we want to build a true meritocracy, we must
celebrate entrepreneurs who create value through innovation, resilience and
hard work. NIESBUD's alumni network has the potential to become a vibrant
platform of collaboration and excellence, where entrepreneurs learn from one
another, build meaningful partnerships and collectively strengthen India's
entrepreneurial ecosystem. Together, we can inspire millions to pursue
entrepreneurship and accelerate our journey towards a developed and
self-reliant India," he added.
Hon'ble Minister also launched
two NIESBUD publications—'स्वावलंबन
की ओर - 4', which showcases
entrepreneurial success stories, institutional initiatives, and the
transformative journeys of NIESBUD alumni, and 'Alumni Connect Volume - 1',
a curated compilation of profiles of successful entrepreneurs nurtured through
the institute's flagship programmes, including the Entrepreneurship Development
Programme (EDP), Entrepreneurship Skill Development Programme (ESDP),
Entrepreneurship Awareness Programme (EAP), and other capacity-building
initiatives.
Ms. Debashree Mukherjee,
Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, said, "India
needs millions of entrepreneurs to drive innovation, create jobs, and realise
the vision of Viksit Bharat. Entrepreneurship is a lifelong journey that
thrives on continuous learning and collaboration. NIESBUD's alumni network can
play a transformative role by enabling successful entrepreneurs to mentor
aspiring founders, foster innovation, and help build sustainable enterprises
that contribute to India's economic growth."
Dr. Poonam Sinha, Director
General, NIESBUD, said, "Every entrepreneur who passes through
NIESBUD remains a valued member of our institutional family. Through
initiatives like the Alumni Meet, we aim to create an enduring ecosystem where
alumni continue to connect, collaborate, mentor and inspire one another, while
benefiting from new opportunities for learning, networking and business growth.
We are committed to supporting entrepreneurs not only during their training
journey but throughout their entrepreneurial lifecycle."
The event also featured a session
on Sharing of Best Practices by Mentors from NITI Aayog, that focused on
the critical role of mentoring in enterprise growth. Through their experiences
of mentoring entrepreneurs under the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP),
NITI Aayog, the mentors shared practical lessons on overcoming business
challenges, scaling enterprises, accessing opportunities, and building
resilient entrepreneurial ventures. The session encouraged peer learning and
inspired entrepreneurs through real-life experiences and proven mentoring
practices.
This was followed by a Panel
Discussion on 'Digital Growth Strategies: Leveraging ONDC, Meta and GeM for
Market Expansion', bringing together representatives from these leading
digital platforms. The discussion focused on enabling entrepreneurs to leverage
digital commerce, Government procurement, social commerce, branding, digital
marketing and online marketplaces for business expansion.
The event brought together
NIESBUD alumni, nearly 200 successful entrepreneurs from 19 states, mentors,
industry leaders, and policymakers on a common platform to celebrate
entrepreneurial success, facilitate knowledge exchange, and strengthen lifelong
institutional engagement.
Ms Hena Usman, Joint Secretary,
MSDE, was also present on the occasion, along with senior officials from MSDE, NITI
Aayog, NIESBUD, ONDC, GeM, and Meta.
Conceived under the guidance of
Hon'ble Minister, the NIESBUD Alumni Meet 2026 marks the beginning of a
structured and long-term engagement with NIESBUD alumni through the NIESBUD
Alumni Network, envisioned as a vibrant platform for continuous interaction,
mentoring, collaboration, business networking and knowledge exchange. By
fostering stronger connections among entrepreneurs, mentors, industry and
Government, the initiative seeks to create a self-sustaining entrepreneurial
community that contributes to enterprise growth, employment generation, innovation
and the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.