Gautam Adani Launches Vande Bharatam, a Nationwide Movement to Discover India's Grassroots Innovators and Entrepreneurs

Gautam Adani unveils Vande Bharatam, a nationwide programme to identify and support innovators from all Indian states and union territories. Open to diverse participants, it aims to bridge access to mentorship, funding, and networks, with a focus on women, tribal, rural, and Divyang entrepreneurs across sectors.

Marking his 64th birthday, Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani on Thursday launched 'Vande Bharatam', a nationwide initiative aimed at discovering and supporting innovators, entrepreneurs, and changemakers from across India. The programme seeks to identify entrepreneurial talent from every corner of the country, covering all 36 States and Union Territories and more than 800 districts. The initiative aims to extend opportunities beyond India's established startup hubs and create a national platform for promising innovators from diverse backgrounds.

According to the organisers, the initiative is open to individuals of all ages and professions, irrespective of educational qualifications or the stage of their ideas or ventures. Participants can apply with concepts, prototypes, early-stage ventures, or established businesses, and registration as a startup is not mandatory. Speaking at the launch, Gautam Adani said that India possesses immense talent, but opportunities have not always reached every part of the country.

*"When I began my journey, I had nothing. Everything I am and everything I have achieved was given to me by the soil of Bharat. There is no shortage of talent in our nation, but opportunity has not always reached every corner of the country,"* Adani said.

India currently ranks among the world's leading startup ecosystems. However, industry estimates suggest that a majority of startup founders continue to emerge from a handful of major cities, leaving many aspiring innovators without access to mentorship, networks, and funding opportunities. The Vande Bharatam initiative aims to bridge this gap by identifying innovators from metropolitan cities, emerging urban centres, small towns, and rural communities. The programme will accept entries across sectors such as technology, manufacturing, agriculture, sustainability, traditional crafts, and community-led solutions.

Special emphasis will also be placed on encouraging participation from women entrepreneurs, tribal innovators, rural entrepreneurs, Divyang entrepreneurs, and individuals working to solve local challenges. Applications will undergo a multi-stage evaluation process based on innovation, entrepreneurial potential, scalability, and social impact. Following state and regional assessments, 75 finalists will be selected and invited to Ahmedabad for an intensive mentorship and networking programme.

The finalists will interact with industry leaders, investors, mentors, and business experts before participating in a national grand finale scheduled around Independence Day. Adani said the initiative seeks to discover individuals whose ideas deserve greater recognition and support.

*"Vande Bharatam is our effort to discover the innovators, problem-solvers and entrepreneurs whose ideas deserve recognition, support and a larger platform. We invite every Indian with the courage to build and the determination to create to come forward and participate,"* he said.

The selected participants will receive access to incubation support, strategic partnerships, mentorship opportunities, and investor networks. The organisers said details regarding prize money and category-specific awards will be announced later. The programme also aims to create a long-term engagement platform connecting participants with mentors, investors, industry leaders, and fellow innovators. Acclaimed actor, television host, and entrepreneur Rajeev Khandelwal has been named the ambassador and host of Vande Bharatam. He will help promote the initiative and support its mission of identifying entrepreneurial talent from across India. Applications for the programme opened on June 24 through the official Vande Bharatam portal.