Announcement
BYST (Bharatiya Yuva Shakti Trust) released a press statement on 24 September 2026 announcing the selection of 14 Grampreneurs® for the BYST JRD Tata Awards 2026. The shortlist includes five women entrepreneurs and represents enterprises from across India operating in manufacturing, food processing, agri‑business, farm technology, recycling and industrial solutions.
Macro Context
India’s micro‑enterprise segment comprises over 9.55 crore entities, accounting for 99.3 % of all registered MSMEs and providing more than 41 crore jobs nationwide.
Impact of Shortlisted Entrepreneurs
The 14 shortlisted Grampreneurs have collectively created nearly 425 jobs. Their businesses supply to large companies, some have entered international markets, and they were evaluated on growth, profitability, loan repayment, employment generation, local‑economy contribution, exports and technology adoption.
Jury Composition and Evaluation Criteria
The jury was chaired by Prof. S. Mahendra Dev, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, with Sunil Kant Munjal, Chairman of Hero Enterprise, serving as co‑chair. Other members were Vikas Swarup (former diplomat and writer), Prof. K.K. Pant (Director, IIT Roorkee), Madan Pillutla (Dean and Professor, ISB), Harish Krishnan (MD & Chief Policy Officer, Cisco South and Southeast Asia), Brahmani Nara (Executive Director, Heritage Foods Limited) and Rahul Kanwal (CEO & Editor‑in‑Chief, NDTV). The assessment focused on business growth, profitability, loan repayment record, jobs created, contribution to the local economy, export activity and use of technology.
Mentor Role and BYST Track Record
BYST highlighted the importance of mentor‑entrepreneur relationships rooted in the “Guru‑Shishya Parampara”. To date BYST has supported more than 72,000 entrepreneurs since 1992, generating over 5 lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities and facilitating bank financing exceeding Rs 1,000 crore across the country.
Statements from BYST Leadership
Lakshmi V. Venkatesan, Founding and Managing Trustee of BYST, stated that micro‑enterprises can significantly boost India’s economic growth by creating jobs in small towns and rural areas, provided they receive appropriate finance, market access and mentoring.
Awards Process and Next Steps
Nominations were received from BYST‑supported Grampreneurs nationwide, followed by on‑ground verification, national‑level committee review and final jury assessment. Winners will be honoured at a national‑level ceremony to be held shortly.