OdishaPlus Bureau
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday said that the State Government has been a pioneer in championing the cause of women empowerment with all sincerity.
“We have encouraged women for their socio-economic empowerment with initiatives like Mission Shakti, Start-up Odisha, Skilled-in-Odisha and several other initiatives,” the Chief Minister said inaugurating the ICC Women’s Leadership Summit here.
He said through Make-in-‘ Odisha, the State Government is also encouraging investment in Odisha and translate opportunities into an economic win-win for both the investors and the people of the State. Patnaik said Odisha has become the first state in the country to get ICC’s first women’s committee for entrepreneurship development.
This committee is a diverse group of women entrepreneurs from various sectors both big and small who can share, collaborate and grow together to last pace the ongoing industrial growth in the State, he said.
Among others, Director-General ICC Dr. Rajiv Singh, ICC Odisha Chairman MC Thomas, Convenor IWEC Sukirti Patnaik were present at the inauguration.
On this occasion Managing Director Blossom Kochhar Group Samantha Kochhar, Actress and model Mugdha Godse, Wing Commander, Indian Airforce Shalu L Chandel, Editor in Chief Beauty in Espace Media Pvt Ltd Ritoo Jha, were also present as special guests.
During the event 40 women, entrepreneurs of the State were felicitated. One to one discussion with chief guest, a panel discussion with women business leaders and a business networking session was organized at the venue.The ICC has formed a Women’s Entrepreneurship Committee to address the growing needs of Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders.
The Women’s Entrepreneurship Committee extends ICC’s core philosophy of building meaningful synergies among Industry and Government by addressing strategic issues of national significance.
The Women’s Entrepreneurship Committee hopes to be a proactive, progressive body with diversified membership base, a dynamic leadership team, driven to meet the new challenges of today’s world.
The core objectives of the committee are Empowerment, Education, Skill Development, Employment, Entrepreneurship & Business Development.
IWEC currently has 40 enterprising women members varying from eminent business leaders running multi-crore businesses to aspiring women entrepreneurs and corporate leaders. The core team will provide transformational leadership to foster a vibrant business environment for women in the state.
Many eminent business leaders, government officials, aspiring women entrepreneurs, national and state-level governing members of ICC, Odisha state ICC members, governing members of IWEC, members of IWEC, media and publications also present at the event.
IWEC has planned for a series of events next year. These include business mela by women entrepreneurs, a seminar by national business leaders, Industry visits to discern the latest processes and protocols, women entrepreneurship awards, digital marketing, and brand building, networking sessions and work-life balance.