Pondicherry University Organises ICSSR-Sponsored National Seminar
On Entrepreneurship and International Trade
Puducherry |
The Department of International Business, Pondicherry University, organised a two-day National Seminar in association with the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), Southern Regional Centre, Hyderabad, on the theme “Potential for India’s Export and Import Opportunities through Entrepreneurship and Start-ups.”
The seminar aimed to deliberate on the growing role of entrepreneurship, start-ups, and innovation in strengthening India’s export–import ecosystem and enhancing the country’s participation in global trade.
The inaugural session began with a welcome address by Prof. Bhushan D. Sudhakar, Head (i/c), Department of International Business, Pondicherry University. This was followed by an address by Prof. P. G. Arul, Seminar Convener, who outlined the objectives of the seminar and highlighted the increasing relevance of entrepreneurship and start-ups in India’s foreign trade landscape.
Prof. P. Natarajan, Dean, School of Management, Pondicherry University, emphasized that entrepreneurship, start-ups, and innovation are key drivers of economic growth and play a vital role in improving India’s competitiveness in international markets.
Addressing the gathering, Prof. K. Tharanikkarasu, Director, Studies, Educational Innovation and Rural Reconstruction, Pondicherry University, spoke on the importance of skill development, innovation, and academic–industry collaboration. He also highlighted the need for a change in the Indian mindset towards business risk-taking, drawing comparisons with entrepreneurial practices in other countries.
The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Banavath Punnam Kumar, ITS, Joint Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Southern Region, Chennai. He elaborated on export facilitation measures, government initiatives, and global market opportunities available for start-ups and MSMEs. He also highlighted the Prime Minister’s address on National Start-up Day and noted the milestone of over two lakh registrations on the Start-up India portal.
As part of the seminar, panel discussions, brainstorming sessions, and research paper presentations were conducted on various themes related to export- and import-oriented entrepreneurship and start-ups.
The seminar witnessed active participation from faculty members and research scholars from different parts of the country, fostering academic dialogue and policy-oriented discussions.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Dr. K. Bhuvaneswari, Assistant Professor, Department of International Business, Pondicherry University.
