Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 12: To foster innovation and entrepreneurial spirit among the youth of Jammu and Kashmir, a one-day Ideathon and workshop was held here today.
The workshop was organized by IIM Jammu with collaboration of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce (DICCI) to establish 22 Small Business Development Units (SBDUs) in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Under this project, the SBDUs will strengthen institutions to deliver quality initiatives for entrepreneurship development across identified locations. Dr. Mahesh Gadekar is the Chairperson of SBDUs at IIM Jammu.
The event was inaugurated by Chief Guest, Om Prakash Bhagat, Director, Skill Development and the Guest of Honor was Arun Kumar Manhas, Director, Industries & Commerce.
Speaking on the occasion, O. P. Bhagat emphasized the future role of SBDUs in employment generation through the upcoming YUVA (Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyaan) plan, recently approved by the J&K Government.
He highlighted the importance of effective marketing of these skills and the contribution of SBDUs toward promoting self-employment.
Arun Kumar Manhas emphasized the significance of this initiative in empowering local entrepreneurs and fostering economic growth through structured support and resources.
Suket Gupta, Principal of Government Women Polytechnic College Jammu, organized the Ideathon event in association with the IIM Jammu Incubation Centre (i-TBI).
Dr. Vivek Sharma, Chief Innovation Officer, IIM Jammu discussed the history of SBDUs, and incubation support provided by the IIM Jammu Incubation Centre (DST-i-TBI) at the Jagti (Jammu) campus.
Besides him, the pitches were judged by Dr. Ramswaroop Bhaskar, Naren Karunakaran, Consultant, SBDU & Dr. Shahid Jibran, Project Manager – SBDU.
Naren Karunakaran, Consultant, SBDU, IIM Jammu, discussed the importance of integrating sustainability into business ventures, urging entrepreneurs to build socially responsible businesses.
Throughout the Ideathon, the IIM Jammu incubator team provided crucial guidance on grants, seed funds, and mentor connectivity, equipping participants with actionable insights essential for securing funding and mentorship-key factors for startup success.
The vote of thanks was presented by Prof Seema Pandita.
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