Rural women entrepreneurs attend PRAGATI Programme at Shoolini University
2 min read
Solan, March 20
The PRAGATI Rural Women Entrepreneurs Development Programme at Shoolini University continues to make significant strides, with participants attending their second monthly campus visit after the programme’s launch on January 28, last.
The initiative, spearheaded by Ms. Payal Jindal Khanna, Deputy Head of the Centre for Leadership Coaching, and backed by Vice Chancellor Prof Atul Khosla, is dedicated to equipping rural women with essential business skills and coaching support.
During the visit, the M.S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, under the guidance of Dean Dr. Somesh Sharma and Ms. Devanshi Pandit, provided in-depth training on mushroom cultivation, offering participants insights into sustainable agricultural practices. Simultaneously, the School of Bioengineering and Food Technology, led by Dean Dr. Dinesh Kumar, introduced the women to food processing techniques. Mr. Narendra conducted a workshop on making pickles, juices, and purées, empowering sakhis with knowledge in value-added food production.
Additionally, women interested in candle-making attended an interactive session with Ms. Kritika Sharma, a faculty member and entrepreneur, who shared her expertise in the craft, further broadening their business opportunities.
A special highlight of the day was an interaction with Dr. Sunil Rai, Chancellor of UPES Dehradun, who was introduced to the participants by Prof Atul Khosla. Dr. Rai encouraged the women and pledged his support for the PRAGATI initiative, emphasised that “success is the only option for this project.” Echoing this sentiment, Dr. Khosla assured the participants that Shoolini University would extend its support through its business incubator programmes to help them transition into successful entrepreneurs.
Ms. Payal Jindal Khanna, along with two student mentors, personally visited Chhamrog village to meet with a sakhi who was unable to attend the session, ensuring that no participant missed out on learning opportunities.
By the end of the day, the sakhis expressed increased enthusiasm and confidence in tackling entrepreneurial challenges, further solidifying PRAGATI’s mission of fostering rural women entrepreneurs and helping them establish their own business identities.
