An impressive group of business, students and academic leaders came together from across the country on July 21 and 22 at The Taj Lands End in Mumbai for the 2016 Enactus India National Competition. The competition was a unique showcase of entrepreneurial spirit in action, applying business innovation for social impact, demonstrating how Enactus students are improving lives and enabling a better future. The winners of this year’s competition are students from Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies (SSCBS), Delhi. They will represent the nation at the Enactus World Cup in Toronto, Canada to be held from September 28 to 30, 2016. National champion teams from 34 other countries will compete with each other at the international event.
At the Enactus India competition, the 1st runners up position was bagged by the team from IIT, Delhi. The team from Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi secured the 2nd runners up title.
The Enactus India National Competition provides a platform for business leaders and student innovators to test and applaud unique social ventures. This year, the competition witnessed more than 67 student teams from institutes across the country such as IIT Delhi, Sri Ram College of Commerce, Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, etc., showcasing their community empowerment projects. The rising entrepreneurs were given 17 minutes to present the insights, implementation progress and the impact their projects have created in the last one year. The panel of judges consisted of prominent C-level executives such as Richard Rekhy, CEO, KPMG in India, Akhil Bansal, Deputy CEO, KPMG in India, Mini Menon, Executive Editor, Bloomberg TV, Preet Dhupar, CFO, IKEA INDIA and Ronnie Screwvala, MD, UTV Software Communications, amongst others.
Enactus students use the positive power of business, innovation and entrepreneurial action to address the most important issues affecting the world through diverse and fresh perspectives to empower people and improve their livelihoods.
More than 1800 people attended the two day event, which also hosted the insightful ‘Fire Side Chat’ with Ronnie Screwvala, managing director of UTV Software Communications and Ganesh Krishnan, CEO of Tutorvista that focuses on disruption through technologies and their impact on businesses. Retiring president & CEO of Enactus Worldwide, Dr. Alvin Rohrs, was present at the event to receive a special Lifetime Achievement Award. The key note address was delivered by Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog.
Farhan Pettiwala, president, Enactus India said, “Enactus students enjoy a healthy balance of a safe learning environment with a taste of real world implementation. Young students develop their entrepreneurial abilities and evolve to become responsible contributors to the society through Enactus. Corporates who act as mentors and sponsors of these initiatives help build confidence and zeal, boosting their efforts towards a better world.”
Speaking at the event, Richard Rekhy, CEO, KPMG in India and chairman of the National Advisory Board and a member of the Enactus Worldwide Board, said, “It is our privilege and honour to be associated with Enactus India. The impetus gained by this movement of shared social responsibility between cross-generational leaders is outstanding. India’s young leaders bring with them high-standards of talent, grit and world-view and hence I would like to call our nation ‘Youthistan’. On this occasion, I extend my heartiest congratulations to the wining team members and wish them a great learning experience and victory at the Enactus World Cup. ”
KPMG partners and directors across 6 cities have been mentoring 35 college teams’ projects and paving way for their successful implementation.
Over the last 40 years, Springfield, Missouri headquartered Enactus has emerged as an international non-profit organisation that works with leaders in business and higher education to mobilise university students to make a difference in their communities, while developing the skills to become socially responsible business leaders.
Mumbai based Enactus India operates as a subsidiary of Enactus Worldwide. There are over 97 active college/university teams in the Enactus India network. For more information visit enactusindia.org.