Jayant Chaudhary Urges Successful Entrepreneurs to Mentor Next Generation at NIESBUD Alumni Meet 2026
Mumbai: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, Jayant Chaudhary, called on successful entrepreneurs to mentor aspiring founders and help build a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem while addressing the first Alumni Connect of the National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD).
The alumni meet was organised under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) at the NIESBUD campus in Noida.
Entrepreneurs Should Support Future Founders
Addressing the gathering, Jayant Chaudhary said successful entrepreneurs should become champions for the next generation by mentoring aspiring founders, sharing their experiences and creating opportunities for others to succeed.
He said learning and skill development are lifelong processes and emphasised that engagement with entrepreneurs should continue beyond formal training. He added that India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem would benefit from recognising entrepreneurs who create value through innovation, resilience and hard work.
The Minister also said the NIESBUD alumni network has the potential to become a platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing and partnership among entrepreneurs, helping strengthen India’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and contribute to the vision of a developed and self-reliant India.
Two Publications Released
During the event, Shri Jayant Chaudhary launched two NIESBUD publications:
- ‘स्वावलंबन की ओर – 4’, featuring entrepreneurial success stories, institutional initiatives and journeys of NIESBUD alumni.
- ‘Alumni Connect Volume – 1’, containing profiles of entrepreneurs trained through NIESBUD programmes, including the Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP), Entrepreneurship Skill Development Programme (ESDP), Entrepreneurship Awareness Programme (EAP) and other capacity-building initiatives.
Entrepreneurship Key to Economic Growth
Speaking at the event, Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, said India requires millions of entrepreneurs to drive innovation, generate employment and contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat.
She said NIESBUD’s alumni network can play an important role by enabling experienced entrepreneurs to mentor aspiring founders, encourage innovation and support the growth of sustainable enterprises.
NIESBUD Focuses on Lifelong Entrepreneurial Support
Dr. Poonam Sinha, Director General of NIESBUD, said every entrepreneur trained by the institute remains part of its institutional network.
She said initiatives such as the Alumni Meet are intended to strengthen connections among alumni through mentoring, collaboration, networking and continued learning while supporting entrepreneurs throughout their business journey.
Mentoring and Digital Growth Sessions
The event also featured a session on best mentoring practices by mentors associated with NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP). The discussion focused on mentoring entrepreneurs, overcoming business challenges, scaling enterprises and building resilient businesses through practical guidance and real-world experiences.
A panel discussion on ‘Digital Growth Strategies: Leveraging ONDC, Meta and GeM for Market Expansion’ was also held, with representatives from the three platforms discussing the use of digital commerce, government procurement, branding, digital marketing, social commerce and online marketplaces to help entrepreneurs expand their businesses.
