Indian Institute of Management Indore (IIM Indore) and Madhya Pradesh Mahila Vitta Evam Vikas Nigam (MPMVVN), Government of Madhya Pradesh, have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to foster collaborative efforts in promoting sustainable enterprises and empowering women entrepreneurs and women self-help groups (WSHGs) in the state. Prof. Himanshu Rai, Director, IIM Indore, and Mr. Manoj Pushp (IAS), Managing Director, MPMVVN, signed the MoU on July 04, 2023, at IIM Indore
This strategic partnership aims to develop joint projects and initiatives that will support the expansion of MPMVVN’s activities and enable the growth of sustainable enterprises among women entrepreneurs and WSHGs.
Prof. Himanshu Rai expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, “This MoU signifies our commitment to empowering women entrepreneurs and promoting sustainable enterprises. Through our expertise in management education and research, we aim to support MPMVVN in expanding its activities and enhancing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Madhya Pradesh”. The key focus areas of the collaboration include providing marketing support, designing certification courses for women entrepreneurs, conducting training programmes for the employees of MPMVVN, conducting a resource gap analysis, and managerial training, he added. He also emphasized the importance of ensuring women-led organizations become more sustainable and resilient. He then highlighted IIM Indore’s role in supporting the development of Micro and Small enterprises across various sectors. “Together, we will work towards creating meaningful opportunities and fostering sustainable development”, he said.
Mr. Manoj Pushp commended IIM Indore’s faculty and their contributions to academia and society. He stated, “We are delighted to collaborate with IIM Indore, a renowned institution known for its academic excellence and commitment to social impact. Their support in developing marketing strategies, certification courses, and training programmes will greatly benefit our women entrepreneurs and WSHGs”, he said. He mentioned that the assistance from IIM Indore in the empanelment of experienced marketing agencies to provide marketing support to WSHGs for developing sustainable enterprises would also help them boost their market portfolio and sales volumes. He opined that this collaboration would start the much-needed intervention to take the state’s vision of women empowerment to newer heights by fostering greater academia-practitioner collaboration. “We believe this partnership will empower our beneficiaries, improve their market presence, and contribute to the economic growth of Madhya Pradesh.”
The MoU is valid for a period of three years, during which both organizations will work closely to implement the outlined activities and explore additional collaborative opportunities for mutual benefit. This partnership highlights the commitment of IIM Indore toward fostering sustainable development, gender empowerment, and entrepreneurship in Madhya Pradesh.