The BRICS Youth Council Entrepreneurship Pre-Consultation event was held on January 15, 2025, at Miranda House, University of Delhi, brought together over 600 young leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and academicians to discuss the theme “Youth Leadership in Public-Private Partnerships: The economic direction and security priorities of India find their drive from this platform.” The Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India is the organiser with GCTC as the knowledge partner, this significant event created opportunities for a comprehensive exploration of youth’s essential contributions to building sustainable growth and achieving national goals.
Participants started the day with a tremendously active pre-inaugural session that gave people space to interact and build meaningful relationships through networking activities. A ceremonial lamp-lighting was followed by cultural performances, creating a warm environment for the day’s conference discussions.
The opening words established the baseline framework that would guide all discussions throughout the day. Professor Bijayalaxmi Nanda, Principal of Miranda House, highlighted that youth leadership is essential for India to reach its goal of becoming a developed nation in “Viksit Bharat.” Participants learned that mentorship combined with skill development empowers youth to address challenges and achieve sustainable development. Lt Gen Suresh Sharma, representative of the Global Counter-Terrorism Council (GCTC), discussed how public-private alliances create strong economic stability along with national security advantages. During the session, Smt. Meeta R. Lochan, Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, explained government-initiated programs that support youth entrepreneurship along with innovation development.
The STEP Incubation Program’s Founder, Reinu Shah, provided a special talk about her experience leading social impact work. She provided practical guidance for establishing effective partnerships that help propel innovation toward sustainable societal change. The speaker encouraged audience members to choose sustainable, inclusively-focused entrepreneurial routes.
Participating individuals gained real-world tools during two interactive masterclasses for bridging innovation with sustainability goals in their business activities. The Founder of Cashify studied how sustainability could be established in business operations. Dr. Subi Chaturvedi, Senior Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs & Public Policy Officer at InMobi, presented research on youth public policy innovation, showing how youth-initiated programs can succeed when integrated with corporate policy platforms.
Industry professionals joined a dynamic panel session to study both upcoming trends and present obstacles within youth entrepreneurship. The speakers at this event included Shri Deepak Sar, Partner ITY Consulting and Strategy Planning Advisor, Blue Planet Environmentalist Solutions, Ms. Ramya Acharya, Co-founder, Aicumen Corporation Pvt Ltd, and Ms. Vatsala Pathak, Mental Health Counsellor and Founder of MobiKwik. The panelists, in collaboration with the Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India and the Global Counter-Terrorism Council (GCTC), emphasized methods for developing strong networks alongside entrepreneurial resilience. They also introduced the “4S Formula” — Speed, Scope, Scale, and Skill — as a framework to assist entrepreneurs in achieving sustainable success.
One of the major highlights of the event was the “Innovate for Sustainability” Idea Competition, which attracted start-ups delivering solutions to sustainability issues through more than forty presentations. Youth team-based projects took on essential domains of waste disposal and green agricultural practices. Young innovators demonstrated their power to make impactful change, and their superior work was facilitated by expert jury members, including Chartered Accountant Neru Abrol, Chair of the Jury, Ms. Chetna Arora, Ms. Meenakshi Eliose, and Ms. Sulakshna Bramta.
The conference concluded with insights from Professor Bashabi Gupta, Department of Geography, Miranda House, and a vote of appreciation. Professor Bashabi Gupta expressed gratitude to all participants, speakers, and organizers for making the event flourish through their commitment.
Through The BRICS Youth Council Entrepreneurship Pre-Consultation event, India displayed the strong capability of youth initiatives to advance its economic development and security objectives. Through collaborative efforts, shared expertise, and mentorship support, the event bolstered participants to work on sustainability difficulties while creating effective public-private cooperation initiatives. The innovative platform established youth leadership as essential for developing both a secure India and a prosperous future.