Hyderabad, Sept 10: The International Conference on “Women Empowerment – Driving Inclusive Growth and Leadership”, organised by the Women Empowerment Committee of the Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI), was held on Thursday at Cyber Gardens, Hitec City, Hyderabad.
The day-long conference, supported by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India, brought together policymakers, women entrepreneurs, industry leaders, investors, academicians and global experts to deliberate on strengthening women’s participation in economic growth and leadership.
Addressing the inaugural session, C.S.S. Rao, IEDS, Joint Director & HoO, MSME-Development and Facilitation Office, said women’s empowerment was not only a social objective but an important driver of economic growth.
“When women have access to finance, skills, technology and markets, they can build successful enterprises, generate employment and contribute significantly to the economy,” he said.
Rao highlighted several Government initiatives supporting women entrepreneurs. Under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), women beneficiaries are eligible for a 10 percentage-point higher subsidy than the general category, helping them establish new enterprises.
The Stand-Up India Scheme, he said, facilitates bank loans ranging from ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore for setting up greenfield enterprises by women and SC/ST entrepreneurs, thereby improving access to institutional finance.
Emphasising the importance of market access, Rao said that under the Procurement & Marketing Support (PMS) Scheme, women-owned MSEs are eligible for 100% reimbursement of eligible expenditure, subject to applicable scheme guidelines, for supported market-access activities.
He also highlighted the MSME Sustainable – ZED Certification Scheme, under which women-owned manufacturing MSME units can avail themselves of ZED certification at no cost, helping them improve quality, productivity and environmental performance.
“These initiatives provide support across the entrepreneurial journey—from starting an enterprise and accessing finance to improving quality and reaching new markets. At MSME-DFO Hyderabad, we are committed to creating awareness about Government schemes and providing entrepreneurship, skill development, technical and business support,” Rao said.
He encouraged women entrepreneurs to embrace technology, adopt digital tools, explore e-commerce and continuously upgrade their skills and products.
“Believe in your idea, start with confidence, seek the right support and think beyond geographical boundaries. When women-led enterprises grow, they create not only income and employment but also contribute to inclusive, resilient and sustainable economic growth,” he added.
Amala Akkineni, veteran film personality, entrepreneur and animal welfare activist, said empowerment begins when a woman believes that her choices, ideas and aspirations have value.
“Empowerment begins with possibility. Leadership is not simply a designation; it is responsibility, courage, empathy and the ability to inspire others. Women should not be afraid to start small—every successful enterprise begins with an idea and the courage to take the first step,” she said.
She said women could become powerful agents of change through education, community service, environmental initiatives, animal welfare and other social causes.
Calling for a supportive ecosystem, Amala said families, educational institutions, workplaces, government and industry all have a role in creating an environment where women can grow, while men must become partners and allies in building a more inclusive society.
She also pointed to the confidence gap among women in the workplace, observing that while men may be willing to take up a job even when they possess only partial knowledge of a domain, women often hesitate despite being highly qualified.
“Let us create a future where every woman is encouraged to seek opportunity, discover her potential, pursue her dreams without guilt and have the courage to lead. And, as women, let us remember that when one woman rises, she can lift many others with her,” she said.
Ms. Uma Devi Chigurupati, Executive Director, Granules India Limited, said organisations must create workplaces where women can thrive through fairness, respect and equal opportunity.
“Empowerment and inclusion are two sides of the same coin. Organisations have a responsibility to create an environment where women can thrive—not by giving them concessions, but by ensuring fairness, respect and equal opportunity,” she said.
She emphasised the importance of sensitising managers and colleagues, ensuring equal opportunities in training, challenging assignments and promotions, and providing facilities such as maternity support, crèches, smooth return-to-work mechanisms and continuous skilling.
At the same time, she said women must take responsibility for their own growth.
“Women must be willing to take bold decisions, accept new assignments, step into unfamiliar territories and become torchbearers for others. When women climb the ladder, they should take other women along with them. True inclusion happens when organisations open the doors—and women have the confidence and courage to walk through them,” she added.
Ms. Uma Ghurkha, one of the founding members of COWE, said the empowerment of women was essential for building a strong next generation and a stronger nation.
“A stronger woman makes a stronger nation. Women’s empowerment must begin at home by encouraging girls to dream big, take risks and believe in themselves, and must progress through economic empowerment and leadership,” she said.
She highlighted COWE’s efforts to encourage women to become entrepreneurs and leaders and stressed that true leadership lies in empowering others.
“At COWE, we believe that true leadership is not about holding on to power, but about empowering others. When women rise and take other women along with them, it creates a multiplier effect of leadership,” she added.
K.K. Maheshwari, President, FTCCI, said women’s empowerment had moved beyond being a matter of social responsibility and had become an economic necessity.
“Women’s empowerment is no longer a matter of social responsibility alone—it is an economic necessity and a powerful growth strategy. At FTCCI, we believe that the next phase of India’s growth must be more inclusive, and women must be at the centre of that transformation,” he said.
He said the conference was designed to move the conversation “from empowerment to enterprise, from participation to leadership, and from opportunity to measurable economic impact.”
Dr. Tasneem Shariff, Chair, Women Empowerment Committee, FTCCI, said India’s ambition of becoming a developed nation could not be achieved by under-utilising half of its human capital.
“Viksit Bharat is not possible with half the human capital under-utilised. The next leap is to put women not just in jobs, but in boardrooms, businesses, investment decisions, exports and economic leadership,” she said.
She emphasised that the real measure of women’s empowerment was not merely how many women entered the system, but how many were enabled to shape and lead it.
“Women’s empowerment is no longer a social agenda alone. It is an economic imperative. India has made significant progress, with female labour-force participation rising from 23.3% in 2017–18 to 41.7% in 2023–24. But participation is only the beginning. The real question is whether women are participating at the scale India needs—and whether they have the capital, markets and opportunities required to scale,” Dr. Tasneem said.
She also pointed to the continuing gender gap in venture capital, noting that globally in 2024, women-only founding teams received just 2.3% of venture capital funding, approximately $6.7 billion out of $289 billion.
The conference featured an impressive line-up of speakers from India and abroad, representing government, industry, entrepreneurship, technology, finance, development and social impact.
Ms. Jyothi Reddy, Founder, Key Software Solutions Inc., USA, addressed the theme “Global Transformation: The Power to Rewrite Your Destiny.”
The first panel, “Scaling Up from Rural to Global: Enhancing Competitiveness,” moderated by Dr. Nida Fatima Hazari, featured Ms. K. Nikhila, IAS; Ms. Sushma G. Dharamsoth; and Ms. Sinda Hamdi.
The second session, “Accelerating Growth of Women-Led Enterprises,” moderated by Ms. Pallavi Rupanagudi, featured Ms. Sattu Savitha, Ms. Angela Heinssen, Ms. Kalpana Rao, Ms. B. Annapurna and Ms. Ishita Saxena.
The third session, “Leadership in Next Generation,” moderated by Ms. Rashi Srivastava, featured Ms. Priyanka Ravala, Ms. Prerana Nayak, Mr. Hossam Hawas, Ms. Vaishali Neotia and Ms. Sheetal Shrikanth.
The programme also featured a special session by Ms. Nvard Chalikyan, Associate Partner, Asteron Partners Private Equity Company, Armenia, on “India–Armenia: Building Strategic Business Corridors & India’s Gateway to Europe.”
The conference also included discussions on women-led entrepreneurship and MSME growth, access to finance and markets, digital transformation, emerging technologies, leadership and decision-making, rural and grassroots entrepreneurship, international opportunities, future-ready skills and inclusive workplaces. The programme concluded with a stand-up comedy performance by RJ Shadab, concluding remarks and a vote of thanks by Sri Srinivas Garimella, Senior Vice President, FTCCI.
More than 250 people participated in the conference. An expo was also organised on the sidelines of the conference.
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