New Delhi/Mumbai, August 21: On World Entrepreneurs’ Day, observed on August 21 every year, leaders across industries highlight the courage, resilience, and innovation that define entrepreneurship in India. From creating jobs and solving systemic problems to navigating challenges of mental health, financial sustainability, and customer trust, their reflections capture both the promise and pressures of building ventures in a fast-evolving ecosystem.
Neha Juneja, Serial Entrepreneur & Startup Leader: “Entrepreneurs play a pivotal role in shaping economies and societies. By creating businesses, they generate jobs, expand markets, and fuel economic growth. Most importantly, entrepreneurs challenge the status quo, opening doors for new ideas and inclusive progress.”
Ankit Mathur, Co-founder & CEO, Greenway Grameen: “Entrepreneurs are risk-takers who take society forward. Their ‘never say die’ attitude achieves success even when odds are stacked against them. Every successful entrepreneur creates jobs and has an impact, while setbacks only fuel their determination.”
Sudipta Sengupta, Founder & CEO, The Healthy Indian Project (THIP): “Entrepreneurship is courage — the courage to chase dreams, build from scratch, and keep going when the odds are stacked against you. But founder depression is real. On Entrepreneur’s Day, let’s also remind ourselves that staying healthy, physically and mentally, is the only way we can truly keep driving change.”
Gaurang Shetty, Chief Innovation Catalyst, riidl Somaiya Vidyavihar University: “Startups grow faster when they listen to customers, mentors, and stakeholders. Early feedback sharpens ideas and sparks innovation. With India’s 112 million youth facing limited government jobs, startups are creating more opportunities than large enterprises.”
Vivek Prasad, Executive Director, Avalon Consulting: “The spread of technology and social media has democratised entrepreneurship, bringing it within reach of people regardless of age, gender, or economic background. But the challenge remains the same: identify a real-world problem, solve it effectively, and build sustainable unit economics.”
Disha Shah, Founder & Designer, DiAi Designs: “As glamorous as it sounds, being an entrepreneur comes with complex issues ranging from HR to marketing. The greatest challenge is balancing business needs while keeping customers, finance teams, and vendor partnerships happy. Adaptable systems and creative problem-solving give entrepreneurs a crucial edge.”
Harvinderjit Singh Bhatia, CEO & Co-Founder, Radiowalla Network Limited: “Being an entrepreneur is an opportunity to create value across stakeholders. Founders must be resilient, validate real problems, and adapt quickly. Chasing vanity metrics is futile — the focus must remain on building sustainable growth.”
