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The crisis of the COVID-19 virus saw a large number of ups and downs. Yet, some people did not stop endeavoring for their dreams. The young Entrepreneurship wave of DU has raised the bar and has become an exceptional source of motivation for everyone. Read ahead to find out more.  


It is rightly said by Gandhi Ji, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” When the world was struggling to breathe, some people had set their eyes to become the trailblazer. Amidst such strenuous times, these people were setting out to do something impactful. Under no circumstances, was their zeal shaken. These people have created an example for the masses to follow. They are the young entrepreneurs who chose not to stop even when the world had come to a halt. Their Entrepreneurship drive has truly become a beacon of hope for many.

To tackle the challenges posed by the pandemic, curbs were imposed across the globe and people got confined in their humble abode. Yet, these constraints could not stop the students from the University of Delhi to pave a path of productivity. These students found ways to spend their time creating businesses instead of procrastinating about tomorrow which seems to be the favorite pastime activity for most.

The fondness and the creativity of these students led them into finding ways to monetize their avocations. Safe to say, the deep affection that we all share for the work we undertake made us stumble upon a few entrepreneurs. The Postcard Store, which turned their affection for the postcards into a blooming online mini store, is based in Delhi and their adventure started from the heart of the National Capital, University of Delhi (DU), amid the medical crisis. In conversation with DU Beat, The Postcard Store enlightened us about their creative idea of going beyond technology and connecting people. Further, they are a small team of Delhiites and cater to the demography of people in the age group of 20-30.

The idea clicked at that time (Pandemic) because people needed and still do, a handwritten little note which reminds them that they are not alone. This has been the major force behind our business. We look forward to connecting people beyond technology.

-The Postcard Store, in conversation with DU Beat

Thee_basicss, started by Harshita Handa from Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College, DU during the coronavirus scare, is a business that provides “the” gifting solution. The business caters to gifting needs ranging from ideation of unique digital artworks to making them with the sole purpose of bringing smiles to everyone’s faces. In conversation with DU Beat, Harshita cast light on her inspiration. She started the business out of her love for art and designing new things along with conceptualizing artistic contrivances. Her audience ranges from teens to married couples who want to make special days even more special.

A lot of time was at my disposal that made me prone to think about various ideas every day. Clubbing my passion for art and love for creation into a business was a very appealing thought to me. The rise of online buying among people during the pandemic made it a super interesting idea for me to pursue.

-Harshita Handa, founder of Thee_basicss 

Now, moving on to the subject of luxury; when one hears this word, they come with all guns blazing because of the alarmingly high prices but what if I say that this luxury has become affordable? Rhemi is a one-stop-shop for affordable luxury. Started by Rhea Premi, a student of Kamla Nehru College, DU, started her business due to her adoration of bags. In conversation with DU Beat, the founder of Rhemi expressed her dejection to observe the singularity of taste among the fast fashion designs of bags and the high prices of the avant-garde luxurious brands. This set her off to start a business that would provide affordable luxurious bags. Her brand caters to the people who are looking for unique statement pieces on budget, which mainly includes high school students, college students, women, and men. What is more interesting about this brand is the founder’s story of inspiration. Rhea told DU Beat about her forever keenness towards starting something of her own. The pandemic gave her the perfect opportunity to brainstorm about it and become an inspiring example.

In my family, a woman has never started her own business. I wanted to break that chain and start something of my own. I want to be financially independent and support my family. Having a business is extremely fascinating and a whole another level of learning. I started brainstorming about the same during the pandemic. Since I have always been interested in business, it did not take long for me to find Rhemi.

-Rhea Premi, founder of Rhemi

The enthusiasm to stand out of the crowd continues as Vanya Jain, a first-year journalism student from Kalindi College, DU, started a resin business amidst the medical crisis solely because of her inclination towards her artistic flare. However, in conversation with DU Beat, Vanya highlighted the issues she faced amid the crisis. The main component of her business is the material- resin. Due to the curbs imposed, she had to wait for almost a week to restock her material which ceased her business to flourish. Nevertheless, Vanya continues to work hard and grow her business.

It takes a lot to stand out of the crowd and take risks but eventually you will realize it’s worth it. After all, extraordinary things do not happen ordinarily.

-Vanya Jain, founder of Resin Business

Every business took a bullet due to the restrictions imposed. The growth and independence of the businesses, especially the ones which started during these times, were heavily impacted. Yet, the way these businesses tackled the issue is quite commendable and encouraging.

Due to the government restrictions, our business took a major stop-off as long as 3-4 months. We overcame this setback by handling our Instagram handle more creatively. Our store got back on track after this.

-The Postcard Store

The way of the world is such that nothing comes without the ups and downs. What is important is to never cease endeavoring and never put a halt to the process of hard work and dedication. Leaving a mark in an oblivious world is surely a difficult task but making the impossible possible is the step that everyone remembers for eternity. This pandemic might offer hardships. However, believe in yourself and start putting in hours to make your dream come true because it is not the end until things turn your way.

Read Also: MadOverStreets: Startup by DU students sells youth-oriented products at cheap rates

Featured image Credits: The Times of India

Ankita Baidya

[email protected]

Meet an entrepreneur to get inspired by. Explore with Aditya Arora the insights into the entrepreneurial world.

Aditya Arora is a promising young entrepreneur, CEO of Faad Network, and an alumnus of Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies (SSCBS). He started his journey at the young age of 17, and is now a well-known name in the industry. We sat down with him to know about his journey and his insights into the entrepreneurial world. 

Here are some excerpts from the interview:

Shreya: Tell us something about yourself and your journey of becoming a successful entrepreneur at this very young age. 

Aditya: I was very academically focused in school and got SSCBS, which was my dream college. In SSCBS, I pursued Bachelors in Finance and Investment Analysis. Apart from studies, I was a part of the Economics Club, and debating society as well. It was in second year when this company called Faad came into my college during an internship fair where I eventually interned during summers. It is in those two months of working with Faad that I learned what exactly entrepreneurship is, and also what are the different traits of it. The internship got converted into first, a part-time opportunity and then a full-time opportunity and by the end of the college, I was the CEO of the company. 

Shreya: Why did you choose entrepreneurship over a job or studying further?

Aditya: So it wasn’t mandatory to do internship during my second year. Thus, it was the perfect time to explore all possible options and figure out what works best for me. And it was always in my second nature to do something different from what the others were doing. My internship with Faad totally changed the game for me. I always say this about my journey that I had thousand reasons to not become an entrepreneur but my internship gave me so many reasons why I should become an entrepreneur. It has helped a great deal in shaping who I am today. 

Shreya: What are the difficulties you faced in this journey?

Aditya: The biggest difficulty I faced was that of the mindset. An entrepreneurial mindset is different from others. It is supposed to be more risk-taking, more creative and more analytical, and of course, the ability to bounce back from failures. Building this mindset was the biggest challenge. Convincing my parents and my peers that I want to be an entrepreneur as opposed to doing MBA or taking up a job was another big challenge. My parents are from non-entrepreneurial background so it was difficult convincing them. Constant travel and time-management was another difficulty which I wasn’t used to. 

Shreya: Entrepreneurship is a risky field to be in. What are the skills, according to you, one must possess to be a successful entrepreneur?

Aditya: Risk is everywhere. Thus I didn’t see entrepreneurship as very risky because I see risk in everything. The most important thing to possess is the passion and vision to become an entrepreneur, because it is not going to be an easy journey. Secondly, time management is one of the most crucial skills to possess. And finally, it is necessary to have an open mindset. Society feeds us with a script of life. But if you have an open mind, you can make things work the way you want them to work. 

Shreya: How can one bounce back from failures in life?

Aditya: I firmly believe in the quote that the best way to deal with failure is to not see it as one. Once you start looking at them as an opportunity, the spectrum changes totally because then you know that if A didn’t work, then B will. As I said before, having the mindset of bouncing back from failure is indispensable to an entrepreneur. If you have the tendency to give up after a failure, you are perhaps not cut out for entrepreneurship. 

Shreya: Tell us something about your social campaign ‘Education Yatra’.

Aditya: It was a social campaign I started wherein I just wanted to go out there and spend some time with the underprivileged kids, understand their mindset, and teach them. I used to partner with some NGOs that have been doing deep work inside the community for years. I went to these places called learning centers where students from different classes come and study together. The motive of “Education Yatra” was that a child shouldn’t be given education based on his/ her class but on the basis of their knowledge capability. A 9th standard kid can have a mindset of a 4th standard student and also vice-versa. For this campaign I got awarded by Microsoft and now I am getting an award from UN for the same. My motive is to spread this idea to as many places as possible. 

Shreya: At last, what are your future plans and how will you go about from now?

Aditya: I honestly do not have a concrete future plan to tread upon because life has changed so quickly for me in the last four to five years that I don’t really plan a lot of things. But, I do have a vision which is to support and empower young people around me. This is my mission. Currently, I want to grow Faad further and that’s what I am currently involved with. 

Feature Image Credits: Aditya Arora

Shreya Agrawal

[email protected]

The two-day long India Youth Conclave 2019, consisting of workshops, interesting panel discussions, and internship fairs, ended on a high note today. 

On 31st August 2019, My Captain organised its 10th India Youth Conclave at Dilli Haat, Janakpuri. Many young people, including aspiring entrepreneurs and budding content creators, attended this conclave, which began with a workshop on entrepreneurship and digital marketing by Ruhan Naqash, the Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of My Captain.

The workshop began with Naqash asking the audience about how many of them planed on becoming entrepreneurs and he was amazed by the number of raised hands. He told them that as entrepreneurs more lessons come from failures than from successes. He also provided the audience with facts like how nearly 90% of startups fail, something that left the audience in dismay. He focused on the ideology of “customer being the King” and said that in entrepreneurship, it’s all about the idea and listening to the target market. He also focused on how one doesn’t really need investments in start-ups if that holds back some young minds and said a good idea requires zero investment, something which the audience fairly agreed upon. He shared his own journey as an entrepreneur, the story of how he got an idea of online workshops and educational seminars in his first year of college and how he went door-to-door in his college hostel gathering his friends to assemble with him on the idea and not keep it a secret confined to him. The room full of young entrepreneurs seemed highly satisfied and inspired after the workshop, which was very interactive. Many present even shared their ideas of start-ups with Naqash.

A Photography Workshop conducted by Rahul Singh Manral took place at the same time. The session took off from his experience as an engineering dropout, and covered his journey till here. He believes that his trip to Egypt in 2013 was a revolution in his career. His session was filled with motivational quotes and the audience could really connect with his light sense of humour.  When asked about the importance of rules, Manral said, “The Importance of any rule is to know it, but it is your responsibility to break it.” In his technical session about photography, he explored the development of light in photography and also shared some modern wildlife and action photography. Lastly, he ended his session by focusing on the fact that modern photography is not only restricted to Social Media, rather, his end goal is to make people want to do something when they look at his photographs.  You can check out more of his work on his Instagram here

The conclave also featured a great line-up of comedians. The show took-off with comedian Manekas Singh Mehta delivering some self-depreciation jokes. His set also talked about Punjabi and Delhite norms and was worth a watch. Next, Onkar Yadav talked about a lot of things ranging from childhood memories to the dating problems one faces in their college period, in his well-known dry sense of humour. Kushagra Shrivastava also delighted the stage with his presence. He talked about religion, tinder, and sports and even interacted with the production team and photographers. It was a show filled with laughter and even some very mature and well thought out jokes, which left the audience wanting for more.

A Creative Writing workshop with Dhruv Sehgal was organized after this where aspiring writers in the audience were familiarised with key concepts on how to write better. The audience was initially star-struck, and was keen to listen to the speaker’s journey and learn from the same. Sehgal said that one of the most important aspects of writing is observation. He said that observing content is free and that good writers can find content in the weirdest places. He stressed how “everyone has a story” and that a blank page is the most important instrument of a writer. He talked about the competition in writing, that being a writer for web series, your competition is not just Bollywood or Hollywood but other content providers like Facebook and Instagram as well, so to overcome that, one should be relatable to the viewers and focus on their unique style by being truthful. Dhruv insisted that rules are very important, contrary to the “rule-breaking” millennial generation as the real challenge lies in showing one’s creativity while following the rules and not while breaking them.

The Rap Battle followed next, which saw many young and enthusiastic students taking to the stage to beatbox and rap their original creations. From solo performances to duets, the performers were full of energy. This open platform gave many students a stage to showcase their talent which they don’t really get to otherwise since rapping is still an upcoming art form in India, and many people are yet to get acquainted with it.

The Psychology workshop with psychologist Prerna saw many students of Psychology in the audience. Prerna talked about how empathy and compassion are important when dealing with patients with mental disorders. She also narrated many incidents from her personal life where she emotionally went through a hard time when dealing with patients of sexual abuse and patients who had violent tendencies. She told the audience that if they wanted to pursue a career in Psychology, then they must follow their seniors and be strong when dealing with their patients.

During the YouTubing workshop, fans went crazy for famous YouTubers Sana, Shraddha Gurang, Kanishk Priyadarshini, Gaurav Taneja, and Himadri Patel. They inspired the audience with their personal stories of the rise to stardom and talked about how to make it big on YouTube. They talked about how YouTube, unlike Facebook and Instagram, provides them with a platform where they can post descriptive videos and how it is possible to build a huge community on it considering that the audiences know what they are looking for. On being questioned by an audience member on how to cope with negative public ideas of making a career out of YouTubing, the panel encouraged him and told hopeful YouTube stars that it is initially difficult to make a career on social media but that hard work and passion pay off in the end. This workshop concluded the first day of the conclave.

Day two of the India Youth Conclave organised by My Captain began with Naqash speaking to the audience about the story of My Captain.
He launched the My Captain app and discussed ideas about revolutionising online education. “To make online education sexy is my aim,” he said. He spoke about how the app works by removing barriers, making learning fun, and explaining concepts using practical examples.
The next speaker was the founder of Pet Street Cafe, Sonali Wadhwa who is an animal activist. Her team is her family. She spoke about her love for dogs and how dogs were her mental cushions, she narrated her story of Pet Street Cafe that went from two pet shops to a pet resort. “Being lost is part of the process,” she said.
“If you are not fearless enough to explore. You will not find what’s right for you,” she added. Wadhwa, ho is also a feminist, had this to say to the feminist hater: “If anyone hates the word feminist, I am sorry about you.”
 
With a six-year experience in Psychological counselling, Manvi Khurana, the founder of Karama Centre for Counseling & Well Being, explores the horizons of sexuality and the taboos that revolve around it in her enthralling session at the IYC’19 Delhi. Tracing sexuality back to the primary school Biology classes when a diagram of phallus served as the erotic recreation, how the myths and conjectures pertaining to masturbation make a crucial topic as sexuality turned into a giggle shot and Karma as somewhat of queer affirmative form.
Manvi further stresses on a sex-positive outlook and asks the youth to perceive it from a perception that carries the responsibility of being one, while claiming of being hopeful and optimistic of the future, she ends with a positive note in her valedictory words for the young audience”The future is bright cause the future is you.”
In the next session, popular author, celebrity journalist, live show host & motivational speaker, Surabhi Verma retrospected on her varied professional career as she talks about her 2018 release ‘And She Quit Her Job’. An alumna of Dayawati Modi Academy, Meerut and Kalindi  College, University of Delhi, Surabhi emphasises on the essence of being a good writer. he recalls about the 2012 Delhi gang rape which generated huge national outrage and how the incident propelled her to pursue journalism. Working rigorously to get a diploma in Media & Journalism from Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, after cracking the entry to The Hindustan Times, she quits her first job owing to a certain introspection and then goes onto OYO Hotels as a content writer lasting there for 3 hours. While her third job at a media house provided Surabhi with opportunity to meet her childhood icon Kareena Kapoor Khan, after interviewing a series of celebs and working as a TV presenter at the Doordarshan she leaves this job as well and starts working on her  book ‘And She Quit Her Job’, Surabhi has worked with esteem organisations like India Today, ECI, ACMA & FSAI and has a reputed social media presence to her credit. She suggests the youth to be evolutionary & experimentative with their choices and asks them to give time to themselves, being grateful for what they have. She further quotes:
“Overnight Success is nothing and never let your circumstances take hold of your life, you are the master of your own life, do what you want to make of it.”
She ends her address with Maya Angelou’s lines:
“You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I’ll rise.”

The event later witnesses a very fruitful discussion between prominent writers like Dhruv Sehgal, writer, Little Things, Raunak Ramteke, senior writer, Filter Copy, and Anuj Gosalia, CEO and Founder, Terribly Tiny Tales.

The panel discussion predominantly focused upon essentials of writing as a process, choosing a target audience and making the content relatable. Structure of videos is talked about and its relevance. How a writer should never forget what essentially the story is and it will only work if it surprises itself and the audience. Anuj Gosalia and Dhruv Sehgal said, “Writing should not be result-driven, but process-driven, and it’s the process that can make or break you as a writer.”

They recount the incidents that made them writers and they share their words of wisdom with the audience comprising of writers on how to enter the industry. The 25-30 minute long panel discussion gave key insights on how important it is to not be a yes man in the industry and how much quality feedback is valued. Dhruv Sehgal said, “I just emailed Varun Grover, writer of Sacred Games, a few days back regarding what could have been done differently in the season two and he literally replied saying that he was the first one to give a feedback which astonished him.”

The discussion also shed light on the lack of vernacular languages in the mainstream content. They say that adding regional and local languages makes the content very relatable, very easily. However; they as position holders in media company are still finding ways to integrate regional beliefs with content made for masses.

Gurmehar Kaur, writer and a Literature graduate from Lady Shri Ram College, enlightened the audience filled with young adults about her journey with politics, war, and writing. She spoke about how student unions and writing paved the way for her to have a political opinion. Being just an 18-year-old from Jalandhar, when she first entered the University, she recounted the events that led to her being who she is now.

She started with shifting the attention from content creation on the internet to the violation of human rights, internet and cellular blackout being faced by the people of Kashmir, and how dire their problem is. She spoke of how important student politics has been in her life and how it was such a powerful tool specially in such a politically-aware city. On being asked, how dirty student politics has become by an audience member, Gurmehar answered: “Student politics is very imperative for each student. It gives you an opportunity specially after 2014, to have a different opposition and perspective which national politics might not provide you.”

She told DU Beat, “I believe even if you’re not contesting or part of a political party. You’re still a voter and have an essential role. Students must vote and ask the right questions to their leaders.”

She even shared her experience while writing her two books, The Small Acts of Freedom and The Young and Restless. She adviced all the budding writers to know that their first draft will not be great and that is acceptable. She encouraged all to tell their truth and how you’re only a writer when you write and not when you get published.

 

 

Feature Image Credits: Hitesh Kalra for DU Beat

 

Akshat Arora

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Avni Dhawan 

[email protected]

Juhi Bhargava

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Stephen Mathew
 
Md. Faizan Salik 

Chhavi Bahmba

[email protected]

 

 

The young visionaries from across the nation showcased their innovative endeavours in the field of social entrepreneurship at Enactus National Symposium and Competition 2019.

The Enactus National Symposium and Competition 2019 was held at Indian Institute of Technology Delhi on 13th July. From a number of active Enactus chapters across the country, around 70 colleges applied for the championship out of which 30 colleges had the opportunity to compete and present their projects as contenders for the prestigious Enactus National Cup.
Enactus is a worldwide platform that facilitates an exchange between students and business leaders with an aim to create sustainable leadership for the future. Student groups in colleges are encouraged to work towards problems affecting the communities around them by the means of social entrepreneurship. Enactus opened its Indian chapter in 2008 and has since made headway into 108 institutions across the country. Every year these teams compete for the opportunity to represent India in the Enactus World Championship held in September.
The preliminary round of the competition saw the 30 teams being allotted to five different leagues. Presentations were held simultaneously at five halls. These halls were completely packed throughout as competitors and observing teams were earnestly listening to the presentations. Each team was permitted to present two of their successful projects to the judges; this was quickly followed by a thorough question and answer session.
The range of issues tackled by the participating teams was incredibly impressive. Going well beyond basic research, the teams sought to create projects which benefitted communities who are often overlooked. One such example was Project Oorja undertaken by Hindu College. The idea was to provide a sustainable and affordable source of electricity to street vendors who normally spend atleast INR 25 per day on electricity. The solution was solar powered lamps which was a one-time investment and promised durability for at least a period of five years. A lot of the projects displayed were also aimed at reusing the enormous amounts of waste that the consuming class generates. Projects that used waste tires as a sole for footwear and plastic waste as a filler component in pillows were also presented.

The final round of the competition kicked off with Mr Arun M Kumar, Chairman, Enactus India National Advisory Council and Chairman and CEO, KPMG India, addressing the competitors and emphasising that more and more young people are now thinking about making a difference through entrepreneurial action. Mr Devdip Purkayastha, President and Chief training officer of Enactus India commented on the importance of the Symposium as “a platform to reach out to leaders to maximise the power of an individual.”

The five finalists in each league category were:

League 1- Shri Ram College of Commerce

League 2- Shri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce

League 3- Delhi College of Arts and Commerce

League 4- Ramjas College

League 5- IIT Delhi

The judges’ oath was sworn in by Mr Arun Kumar,  post which each team got 12 minutes to present their story of innovation and social change.

Ramjas college presented their Projects Aarogya and TeleSwasthya based on affordable and accessible primary healthcare for the people who cannot afford the heavy expenditure on health facilities. The projects based in Hapur and Naggi district have impacted several beneficiaries by making affordable healthcare available to 70%  of the target population. Today, the project runs 24 health centres in Delhi-NCR and has seen a path-breaking success to empower the lives of many.

The second finalist to present their project was Delhi College of Arts and Commerce who presented their flagship projects Taleem and Sahas. Working for the education of the refugees in Shaheen Bagh and Shram Vihar, project Taleem aimed at solving the primary education crisis through their Taleem Centres. Project Sahas helps breast cancer survivors regain confidence post mastectomy by the use of cotton based breast prosthesis- “Canfe” developed by the team, and underprivileged women. It has developed an online platform where one can purchase mastectomy bras.

Shri Ram College of Commerce presented their projects Viraasat and Asbah. The former project helped the Thateras of Jhandiala Guru to improve the out-dated designs of their local craft and the latter brought in a water revolution in Haryana and Muzzafarnagar through the community filtration plant.

Shri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce showcased their e-commerce platform BOOK A PLANT which brought in an innovative idea to make a positive impact on the environment. The other project Kasthi was based on the idea to  convert a “Gaon” into a smart village.

The last finalist to present their project was IIT Delhi, who presented their first project Nirmalaya based on special pots for vermicomposting, which were further categorized as Sugriha and Ruchitra. Their second project Arth presented the idea of redefining rituals by manufacturing cowdung based logs for burning the funeral pyre.

Finally the nervous air entered the hall as the results made their way. Enactus Ramjas and Enactus LSR won the 77-seconds video-making challenge.

After a fierce and edgy competition of entrepreneurial action between the finalists, the results of the top three winners were announced. The home team, Enactus IIT Delhi lifted the prestigious National Champion trophy. The team would represent India for the Enactus World Cup at San Jose, California this September. Enactus Shri Ram College of Commerce and Enactus Ramjas College won the second and third position respectively.  

Feature Image Credits: Gauri Ramachandra for DU Beat.

Sriya Rane 

[email protected]

 

Pragati Thapa

[email protected]

 

 

The University of Delhi is planning to start a new course on entrepreneurship from the next academic session i.e. 2018-19. The course will be a three-year degree program and will be called BBA Entrepreneurship.

The standing committee on academic matters met on Monday, 20th August 2018 and welcomed the proposal to introduce a course on Entrepreneurship. The course is yet to be approved by the academic council. It will be established under the Faculty of Applied Social Sciences and Humanities.

For admission into the course, there will be a three-stage procedure. The first round will be a national level entrance test, followed by a group discussion round as the second stage, while the last stage will include personal interviews. The entrance test will be designed to check the logical and quantitative reasoning of the students. During the course of study, the students will be expected to complete two internships and submit a dissertation by the end of the third year. The course will follow the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) and a total of 158 credits will be awarded to students completing the course.

DU Beat contacted Ms. Poonam Verma, Principal of Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies (SSCBS) who made this proposal. She remarked, “The course will start from next year. The academic council and executive council of the University will pass the proposal in  reasonable time so that the admission process can get started for the next academic session. Once we get the approval, we are going to get started with it.” She informed that the course will be first of its kind in the University. Ms. Verma also spoke about the two most sought-after courses in University of Delhi- Bachelors of Management Studies (BMS) and Bachelor of Business Administration in Financial and Investment Analysis (BBA-FIA)which are available in her college. The course, BBA Entrepreneurship, will start from her college if approved. She hopes that other DU colleges also welcome the course so that maximum students get the benefit. Ms. Verma also mentioned the incubation centre in SSCBS,  which could provide a progressive and comprehensive platform to the budding entrepreneurs.

The course aligns with the Delhi government and Central government’s initiative for skill development and entrepreneurship at academic and undergraduate levels. Currently, very few universities in India offer BBA Entrepreneurship and most of them are private institutions.

 

(With Inputs from TOI)

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat Archives

Anoushka Sharma
[email protected]

 

 

The Entrepreneurial Board (TEB) of College of Vocational Studies organized one of the most prodigious Entrepreneurship Fest of Delhi University: NEGOCIO, on the 12th and 13th of March. With the perspective and an aim of broadening our event plans, and with a vision of building a better foundation for the years to come, NEGOCIO 2018 was certainly a huge success.
The first day of Negocio 2018 started with two events: Best Entrepreneur and World Doomsday Forum.
In “Best Entrepreneur”, the participants were given a chance to showcase their entrepreneurial skills, through the course of which they faced struggles, which helped them discover whether they can enterprise or not.
WORLD DOOMSDAY FORUM was a challenge for the leaders of tomorrow, putting their decisive minds to test while determining the fate of humanity. It dared them to rise when it was all going down.
On the second day, we hosted the B-Plan Competition and an interactive Speaker Session.
The B-PLAN Competition was powered by Google, and was on PAN India level for the first time. It was a closed-door event, with a panel of 12 judges representing various venture capitalists, angel investors, incubators, accelerators, as well as successful entrepreneurs. The participants pitched their startup ideas to the judges, and judgments were made considering the feasibility, scalability, revenue model, presentation and innovation. Three of the eight startups were offered funding on the day.
Our interactive and fast-paced SPEAKER SESSIONS provided participants with tips, techniques and strategies for improving business communications and aiding naïve entrepreneurs. Mr Parveen Singhal (Co-founder and Chief Content Officer of WittyFeed), Evan Luthra (Blockchain and Cryptocurrency expert, investor and serial entrepreneur), and Onkar K. Khullar (Digital Gandhi) were some of the major speakers who came at NEGOCIO’18.
With another remarkable event, The Entrepreneurial Board of College of Vocational Studies has set a milestone in its history. With the motivation from successful entrepreneurs, a chance to interact with key speakers, and exploring their hidden entrepreneurial skills, it was indeed a memorable day for all.
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For a while now, Delhi University’s alumni have come up with plenty of successful ventures. So, is it because the varsity fosters entrepreneurship or the college students establish themselves completely on their own?

With the prevailing popularity of shows like TVF Pitchers and MTV Dropout Pvt. Ltd., we can tell that for a while now millennials have been obsessing over entrepreneurship. The whole concept of startups is based on idea of building an empire from the scratch, and if you are a part of University of Delhi (DU) then chances are you know at least one person (the ones hurdling over their laptops, always talking about their business idea, but guarding important details and forever hunting for funds) who aspires to kick start a start-up.

In 2014, a joint initiative of University Of Delhi and Ministry Of Medium, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) started Technology Business Incubator (DUCIC-TBI) at Cluster Innovation (CIC) Centre. The main objective of this initiative was to encourage students to try out their innovative ideas (processes and/or products) at the laboratory or workshop stage and beyond, to carry forward the idea from its mere conception to know-how and then to-do-how stage.

Talking to DU Beat about the work done by the incubation center since its inception, Professor Bibudananda Biswal, Manager of Technology Business Incubator (DUCIC-TBI) said, “We started off with incubating seven start-up projects that were funded by Ministry of MSME. Subsequently, we added two more startups. Out of these nine projects, four are today companies with positive cash flow. One received an accelerator funding and currently operates from Bangalore. One is in an advanced round of investment negotiations. The other two fund themselves on bootstrapping model. Each of these companies has both rapid and high growth potential.”

He also added that the projects which added after the initial five ones were only provided co-working space with computational facilities. We have not followed up with incubating more projects because of infrastructure and funding issues.

Manish Narayan, a Delhi University graduate and one of the founders of successful venture Sign My Tour app launched by Audible India (now Inclusio) that aids deaf and mute people to access historical monuments of Delhi, credits Technology Business Incubator(DUCIC-TBI) in providing them with financial assistance, infrastructural facilities, and mentoring sessions. “There are many start-ups who have reached heights with the help of universities. The universities need a proper channel to identify this kind of talent and should conduct a comprehensive evaluation to find which start-ups they should fund,” Manish said.

Kirti Krishan, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Pollination Project Grant winning start-up Lithics, (an online portal for handmade and indigenous products) believes that Delhi Universtiy’s Incubation centers at Par with any other Incubation center in the country. “The amazing guidance and help at Delhi University in realizing our dream by providing amazing infrastructure or finding us right mentors has been immense and has helped us in getting pass huge hindrances in operations,” he further gushed in praise.

Hello Meal, a Vijay Nagar based food delivery service founded and run by alumni of Swami Shraddhanand College have carved a niche for themselves owing to their pocket-friendly rates and impeccable service. The venture received a recommendation letter from Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurial Leadership (CIEL) of Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College (ARSD). Tarun Kanti Das, a founding member told DU Beat, “We often visit ARSD College to talk to Dr. Rajeev Singh regarding our business. I’m also trying to get some assistance from DU in terms of promotion and financial aid.”

If we look around that are plenty of success stories coming out of varsity incubation centers. However, many people still believe that universities should not invest money, either through financial aid or infrastructure support, in amateur, college-level start-ups because a majority of businesses that come out of these incubation centers eventually fail.

Professor Bibudananda Biswal, Manager of DUCIC-TBI, refutes such notions and asserts, “The claim that “businesses that come of out these incubation centers eventually fail” is nonsense. Start-ups fail everywhere, even after a series of funding. The money spent on a college level incubation is insignificant. This is only to nurture an innovative idea. The real business and profit happen long after the incubation process. This, most often, depends on the entrepreneurial skills of the promoters of the start-up.”

Lloyd E. Shefsky famously said, “Entrepreneurs are made, not born”. Perhaps, this holds true for Delhi University too, the culture of startup harvested by setting up of incubation centers does produce an array of accomplished and aspiring ventures. However, with policies of fund cut in education, it is under threat.

 

Feature Image Credits: Business World

Niharika Dabral

[email protected]

 

After experiencing a restless level of anticipation from the students across colleges, Enactus Aryabhatta did justice to the long wait with Enactus day 2.0. The event experienced a prodigious response and ended with an extremely contented list of guests. The event began with all the focus directed towards the Project Utkarsh stall where the delectable wafers were sold out so quickly that even comparing them to ‘hot cakes’ would be unjust. The customer’s response at the event assured the group of students that their project is moving in a propitious direction.

Wafers by Project Utkash were sold out quickly.
Wafers by Project Utkash were sold out quickly.

Next insight came the game stalls, with the Lucky Uno game compelling people to repeatedly try out their luck.The Magic brick game brought out the Arnold Schwarzenegger within every participant and turned “I could easily do that!” into an impossible comment to make.

The handmade products were also a big hit amongst customers. If anyone went home disappointed, it’s only because they couldn’t get their hands on one of the Mason jars or lotus diyas before they sold out.

The handmade products were a big hit amongst customers.
The handmade products were a big hit amongst customers.

The event featured a mellifluous performance by the music society of Aryabhatta College that had the crowd gather around and sing to the dulcet tunes of the group.  The Lemon and Spoon race, as anticipated, brought out the vying sportsman within every participant.

Last but not the least Enigmus, the treasure hunt competition, had the participants do anything and everything to emerge as the ultimate raider. From running around the college campus looking for clues, to making a human pyramid, the participants left no stone unturned in making this one of the most competitive events.

With Enactus day 2.0 experiencing a glorious end, the groups of social entrepreneurs now look forward to reaping similar success with their projects and continue to put in their complete efforts towards making this world a better place to live in, to make this world a place where we all win.

Watch this video to get a glimpse of the day!

Image Credits: Team Enactus Aryabhatta

Reid Hoffman once said, “an entrepreneur is someone who will jump off a cliff and assemble an airplane on the way down.”, the founding team of E-Cell Ramjas took him at his word as they sketched their launch pad event roughly ten days before its implementation. Fighting against all odds, the team put together 500+ students and 30+ companies making The Internship Fair 1.0 a grand success! ‘ – Cover

 

The Startup Edge- Entrepreneurship Cell, Ramjas College organised an Internship Fair on 15th November 2016. The fair witnessed a chock a block participation of more than 500 students hailing from several states and varied educational backgrounds who thereby availed a chance to be interviewed by the HRs of 32 companies, startups and NGOs ranging from First League Ventures to Karma circles, DU Beat to Visok Advisors and Yoddhas to WWF. Approximately 3500 walk in interviews were conducted and 250 CVs were submitted to the online hub for evaluation by 10 elite brands. Also, the event’s training partners Internshala & Talerang guided the students on CV making.

internship fair

Being the society’s first event, The Internship Fair 1.0 became the stage for its inauguration. The principal of Ramjas College, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, officially proclaimed the society by cutting the ribbon and reinforced our Prime Minister’s initiative of ‘Startup India, Standup India.’ Along with the Principal and Vice Principal , the event was attended by supreme faculties of Ramjas College such as Dr. PC Tulsian and Dr. ND Vohra and the Secretary of DUSU, Mr. Amit Sangwan.

At the conclusion of the event, the founder of Clado and an alumni of SRCC asserted, “This is the best internship fair I have ever perceived” Alike were the thoughts of the founder of Esmee network who appreciated the quality of participants by saying,” I have been paying several websites in order to find interns but none could compare the quality I found at Ramjas.” The team of Clazzez professed that they ended up selecting double the number of people they initially planned on hiring. Dr. Rajendra Prasad, being flooded with positive reviews, congratulated the E-Cell Team and invited collaboration proposals from several NGOs and startups.

startup cell

In the words of the president of the society, Sunny Garg, “ The Internship Fair 1.0 accorded E-Cell Ramjas with mass recognition, a strong startup network, an indomitable spirit and most importantly, a high fervent and proficient team that shall lead the society to newer heights!

With rising air pollution levels and government’s adoption of desperate measures, it may be well fitting that technology provides the way forward to combat the most existential threat. So, students at NSIT are doing just that, by riding on the successful launch of ‘Strike’ – the solar powered e-rickshaw. It all started when Vikram Pratap Singh entered a competition where he presented this model, with the help of his professor, Mr. Ranjit Singh as his constant source of motivation to work on something that would affect the world on a greater scale. The solar e-rickshaw took him almost 2 years of research, after which, Vikram connected with a junior, Taranpreet Singh, who eventually became his business partner. Abhishek Kumar, a mechanical engineering student, soon, also joined their team. The three then, took it upon themselves to come up with a business model and build a prototype with their own investments. After putting in efforts for 15-16 hours in the factory for days, they finally had their first solar powered e-rickshaw, ready in March 2016. The solar e-rickshaw is fitted with nine solar panels which are placed at the angles where it’s possible to capture the most amount of sunlight in all seasons, producing almost 360w power. It also has four lead acid batteries and both the batteries and solar panels together give the solar e-rickshaw 50 percent more mileage than a normal e-rickshaw. The cost of this solar e-rickshaw is around Rs. 1.2 lacs only, which is the same as a normal rickshaw. Pawan Singh, a solar e-rickshaw driver admits that, “the solar e-rickshaw can carry around 5-6 passengers at a time and is way more efficient than a regular e-rickshaw as it does not require any charging for at least five hours”. He rides it to and fro from college to the nearest metro station everyday. The solar e-rickshaw has had about three months of success now. The only thing that stops the three students from turning this into a business is the lack of funds. However, we at NSIT, believe that the ever-successful trio will overcome this hurdle as smoothly as they did all the previous ones and come out of it like true champions. We wish them all the very best and wait for the day when the solar e-rickshaw becomes a common sight on the streets, ferrying the students of the very college, where its idea was conceived by a few brilliant minds. Guest post for DU Beat by Rashmi Gehi, Student of NSIT]]>