Open Discussion on Economic Growth-'Make In India' campaign & Entrepreneurship

Shanti Business School (SBS) holds an Open Discussion on Economic Growth, “Make in India” Campaign and Entrepreneurship 

Mr. Sunil Parekh, Founding.Curator of the World Economic Forum, Geneva for AGS initiative,  with a rich experience of 40 years, currently Board member and adviser with several  leading organizations and associations, led a highly engaging open discussion for students and faculty of Shanti Business School (SBS), Ahmedabad.

Mr. Parekh stated that Gujarat has witnessed one of the largest investments in the last ten years.  Manufacturing and ‘Make in India’ are the only ways government will be able to have growth that helps to eliminate poverty and generate ample work opportunities.Explaining entrepreneurship opportunities, Mr.Parekh stated that Gujarat is the only state in the country that has set up a seed fund to support development of entrepreneurial ideas. There are Nodal institutions approved by the State Government that evaluate and channelize the seed funding. There is no compulsion or obligation to give back the funding received at this stage as the objective is to spur ideas and experimentation in an entrepreneurial mode. One can then seek angel investors, VC investments and finally private

equity later.

Mr. Parekh said, “ The “Make in India” campaign works on four major pillars, i.e. facilitating Foreign Direct Investment, protecting Intellectual Property, fostering Digital Initiative and building  manufacturing.” This would assist in skill enhancement and job creation in twenty-five sectors of the economy, with consequent increase in GDP and tax profits. 

Further guiding young, potential entrepreneurs, Mr. Parekh insisted that “Startups must be led by ability and passion and not just by intention to make profit irrespective of the business.Mr. Parekh informed that though there is no foolproof way to protect  an idea by an individual, to his knowledge there have been only 2 cases of idea pilferation; seed funders, angel investors and VCs are all part of an ecosystem that works on mutual trust and common objectives of growing the idea, not

stealing it.

   

Sunil Parekh's Profile :

Mr. Sunil Parekh is currently Strategic Advisor to Zydus Cadila Health Care Group (US$1bil) and Jubilant GroupHe is an Independent Director of GNFC Ltd. Member of GNFC CSR Committee, Member of Gujarat Chamber CSR Committee. National Executive Committee member of FICCI;  Board member

AMA, various Industry associations like GESIA, IDMA, FICCI, CII, Gujarat Chambers. He was earlier CEO of a group of six companies abroad for 14 years before returning to India in 1996. He had worked earlier in TELCO Jamshedpur, Pune and Bharat Forge in India in the 1970s. He has been the member of the Advisory Board for Vibrant Gujarat, Govt. of Gujarat since 2003 and has been involved in the preparation of the Master plan for Gujarat’s Infrastructure Development (BIG2020). He has since worked closely with industry & government; and assisted Government of Gujarat with the recent policy framework for the Industrial Development Policy 2015-2020 and the Start Ups in Gujarat.

He was for over 10 years a Board Member of Consumer Education & Research Centre CERC. He was leading CII’s earthquake initiative for rehabilitation after the Kutch Earthquake in 2002.

The current senior key positions held by Sunil Parekh are Founder Chairman PanIIT Alumni Group (a leading Technology Group), Chairman Advisory Group of SPICMACAY (Spreading Heritage to Schools & Colleges), Patron Member of Tie Ahmedabad. He has authored 2 contributions to the literature on Gujarat’s Industrial development, published by Oxford Press and ORF Foundation (a Brookings Institute). He is founder Board Member of NDBI Incubator since inception at NID and is actively associated with CIIE at IIMA, PDPOU, SAP CIIE Accelerator, Founder Member of Gujarat Angels; Lead Angels & an active investor at Indian Angel Network IAN.

Mr. Parekh received the OCND 2014- Outstanding Contribution to National Development from alma mater IIT Delhi in December 214. Awarded-Power 100 Eminent Personalities of Gujarat by Mayor & Governor of Gujarat, in 2011(Golden Year of Gujarat Awards) & 2014 respectively. IITD Project recd Award from Swansea Univ. UK in 1975.