Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2017 Day 2: Ivanka Trump wraps up visit; speakers pledge women empowerment
The second day of the 8th Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Hyderabad on Wednesday started with sessions on 'Women can do it!' and 'Innovations in Workforce Development and Skills Training', which focused on the summit theme of 'women first, prosperity for all'. Industry leaders from all walks of life discussed ways to boost women participation in the workforce, and advocated for better access to skills and training programmes, education, and career opportunities. Niti Aayog is hosting this year's Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Hyderabad in association with the United States government. As many as 1,500 entrepreneurs from 170 countries would attend the three-day summit; many Indian Americans are also participating. US President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump, who headed the US delegation, finished her India visit with a private tour of Golconda Fort. In line with the theme, women make up about 52.5 per cent of the entrepreneurs, investors and ecosystem supporters attending the event. Here's what top businesswoman, sportspersons and industry experts said on the second day.
Ivanka Trump, adviser to US President
Ivanka Trump said women in the workforce provided a strong economic and fiscal benefit. "It is a proven study that 90 cents of a dollar spent by what a woman earns goes back to families and communities, which eventually gives back to society," she said, adding that women entrepreneurs provide incomes for their families, employment for their communities, and products and services that bring new value to the world around them. "Having diversity is better business. It's therefore a fiscal responsibility of businesses to their shareholders to balance the gender gap in the labour force."
Manushi Chhillar, Miss World 2017
High on the success of winning this year's Miss World title, Manushi Chhillar was a star guest at the summit. She said: "I believe that women need to be part of the entrepreneurship ecosystem to enable prosperity of the society."
Chanda Kochhar, CEO & MD, ICICI Bank
ICICI Bank chief executive officer and managing director Chanda Kochhar said: "It's the desire, support and ecosystem of the organisation where women work that will help them break the glass ceiling." She also said the recognition of women's contribution towards organisations would help them keep going.
Cherie Blair, founder, Cherie Blair foundation
"We have to find solutions so women can do better at what they do without giving up on their enterprises. Capacity, confidence and capital are the three things women entrepreneurs need to flourish," said Cherie Blair. Her organisation works with non-profit, private and public sector organisations to empower women to gain financial independence.
Gopichand Pullela, head coach, India badminton team
Gopichand Pullela said whenever there's an idea of change, whenever there's new thinking happening it was always confronted by resistance. "It's important to sustain that period of resistance, and ensure that you start feeling comfortable, and when people start accepting you, you move on to conquer new frontiers. That's the way every field works, and it's the same way entrepreneurship work."
Sania Mirza, tennis star
Sania Mirza said sport needed to given utmost priority so that women could play a crucial role in bringing India on top of the sport tally. "While wrapping sport in the golden wrapper of a film might help, we need to love it for India to become a sporting nation."
MD Gopal Sri, TVS Capital chairman and MD
Talking on the sideline of the event, Gopal Sri gave a word of advice to the budding women entrepreneurs. "My best investments have always been on companies led by women. So my call to action for them is just be great entrepreneurs, forget about gender inequality and be the best in what you do," he said.
Harsha Bhogle, cricket commentatorDuring a conversation on 'The Business of Winning Sports Entrepreneurship', Harsha Bhogle said the biggest stakeholders in the empowerment of women were men, so they were the one who needed to come forward and support women from the front. "I have long held a view that the next big burst in the Indian economy will come when women will start playing far more active role." Talking about women in sport, he said "at the heart of any sport is the number of people playing it. Therefore, it is essential that more women join sport".
Ivanka Trump, adviser to US President
Ivanka Trump said women in the workforce provided a strong economic and fiscal benefit. "It is a proven study that 90 cents of a dollar spent by what a woman earns goes back to families and communities, which eventually gives back to society," she said, adding that women entrepreneurs provide incomes for their families, employment for their communities, and products and services that bring new value to the world around them. "Having diversity is better business. It's therefore a fiscal responsibility of businesses to their shareholders to balance the gender gap in the labour force."
High on the success of winning this year's Miss World title, Manushi Chhillar was a star guest at the summit. She said: "I believe that women need to be part of the entrepreneurship ecosystem to enable prosperity of the society."
Chanda Kochhar, CEO & MD, ICICI Bank
ICICI Bank chief executive officer and managing director Chanda Kochhar said: "It's the desire, support and ecosystem of the organisation where women work that will help them break the glass ceiling." She also said the recognition of women's contribution towards organisations would help them keep going.
Cherie Blair, founder, Cherie Blair foundation
"We have to find solutions so women can do better at what they do without giving up on their enterprises. Capacity, confidence and capital are the three things women entrepreneurs need to flourish," said Cherie Blair. Her organisation works with non-profit, private and public sector organisations to empower women to gain financial independence.
Gopichand Pullela, head coach, India badminton team
Gopichand Pullela said whenever there's an idea of change, whenever there's new thinking happening it was always confronted by resistance. "It's important to sustain that period of resistance, and ensure that you start feeling comfortable, and when people start accepting you, you move on to conquer new frontiers. That's the way every field works, and it's the same way entrepreneurship work."
Sania Mirza, tennis star
Sania Mirza said sport needed to given utmost priority so that women could play a crucial role in bringing India on top of the sport tally. "While wrapping sport in the golden wrapper of a film might help, we need to love it for India to become a sporting nation."
MD Gopal Sri, TVS Capital chairman and MD
Talking on the sideline of the event, Gopal Sri gave a word of advice to the budding women entrepreneurs. "My best investments have always been on companies led by women. So my call to action for them is just be great entrepreneurs, forget about gender inequality and be the best in what you do," he said.
Harsha Bhogle, cricket commentatorDuring a conversation on 'The Business of Winning Sports Entrepreneurship', Harsha Bhogle said the biggest stakeholders in the empowerment of women were men, so they were the one who needed to come forward and support women from the front. "I have long held a view that the next big burst in the Indian economy will come when women will start playing far more active role." Talking about women in sport, he said "at the heart of any sport is the number of people playing it. Therefore, it is essential that more women join sport".
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