Spurred by a vision of providing a nurturing, instructive and supportive environment to women entrepreneurs of the region, the Incubation and Enterprise Support Centre (IESC) under the aegis of IIM Shillong on Saturday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO). The MoU envisages ushering women entrepreneurs during the critical stages of starting up a new business to increasing the success chance, shorten the time and reduce the cost of establishing and growing it.
The MoU was signed by the IESC Chairperson Prof Sanjeeb Kakoty and national FLO President Jahnabi Phookan, in the presence of IIM Shillong Board of Governors (BoG) Chairman, Shishir Kumar Bajoria and a BoG member Atul Kulkarni and IIM Shillong Director, Prof. D. P. Goyal.
Speaking about the work of FLO and its alignment with sustainable development goals, Phookan elaborated that under her presidency the organisation is focusing on ensuring of sustainable practices and creating sustainable livelihoods for the economic empowerment of women towards becoming sufficient job creators rather than just mere job seekers.
Stressing on the importance of women, particularly those in the North Eastern part of India, in safeguarding the rich culture and traditions of the people, Prof Kakoty felt that women were also very much responsible for keeping alive the entrepreneurial nature and spirit emanating from the region. “Therefore if transformation is to be witnessed in this part of the region it has to be women-led,” he said while expressing hope in the impact that the MoU and the mandated work can help achieve.
Bajoria expressed his confidence on the signing of agreement and felt that this initiative could be a defining moment in impacting firstly the region and then beyond, in line with the responsibility bestowed on this premier institute of national importance in the region. “An Atmanirbhar Mahila can ensure an Atmanirbhar Bharat,” he concluded.
Prof. Goyal pointed that the MoU was very much in line with the mission of the Institute to generate and disseminate knowledge in all aspects of management education for sustainable development and to develop innovative leaders with strong ethical values, where one of the prime goals is to enhance skills, competencies and decision taking abilities for practicing management professionals through continued education.
Sharing his thoughts on more than three decades of experience in the region, Kulkarni said, “The North East that we have been seeing for the past very few years is its new self.” He further shared on the recent initiatives of the institute in understanding some of the key sectors of the region and was happy that the MoU could now serve as a catalyst to ascertain quicker growth results through well planned intervention, particularly for the women folk of the region.
This new pact between two very influential organizations is just the right boost at the right time, particularly for women entrepreneurs of the North East region.
NNN