New Delhi : Bharatiya Yuva Shakti Trust (BYST) has entered a partnership with Yardi Software India Pvt. Ltd. to launch the Young Grampreneur® Development Programme in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The initiative aims to strengthen the district’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by identifying, training, and mentoring young aspiring entrepreneurs.
Building on BYST’s nine-year track record in the region, during which it has supported over 1,000 entrepreneurs and trained more than 25,000 youth, the new programme will focus on supporting 100 young entrepreneurs with mentoring and bank-linked financial assistance, and training 150 institutional mentors through BYST’s Mentoring India® initiative. It will reach 6,400 youth through awareness activities, provide one-on-one business counselling to 1,900 youth, and offer BYST’s certified STEP entrepreneurship training to 800 youth. The programme expects INR 5 crore in estimated loan disbursement through partner banks and to enable 1,500 direct and indirect jobs.
With national data showing only 37% employment among individuals aged 20–24 and a youth unemployment rate of 23.7% (ILO, 2021), the initiative aims to create clear pathways for self-employment and local enterprise growth, particularly for women, SC/ST communities, and underserved youth.
Through structured outreach, counselling, training, financial facilitation, and long-term mentoring, the programme will help young entrepreneurs convert viable ideas into sustainable enterprises in manufacturing, service, and retail. BYST’s Guru–Shishya mentorship model will be central, with accredited volunteer mentors offering personalized guidance.
Speaking about the partnership, Lakshmi Venkataraman Venkatesan, Founding and Managing Trustee, Bharatiya Yuva Shakti Trust, said, “Microentrepreneurship plays a central role in India’s economy, especially in smaller towns and rural areas. Manufacturing, service, and retail enterprises are critical because they create local jobs, meet everyday needs, and keep money circulating within the community. By giving young people structured support to enter these three sectors, the programme helps them move from informal work or unemployment into stable, small businesses that can grow in a realistic and steady way.”
Ms. Bharati Kotwal, CSR head, Yardi Software India Pvt. Ltd., said, “Our partnership with BYST supports youth who have ideas but need guidance, networks, and access to capital. By investing in mentoring-led entrepreneurship in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, we hope to help young entrepreneurs build enterprises that are viable, digitally aware, and better connected to local and regional markets.”
Over the year, BYST will work with local universities, colleges, incubation centres, banks, and industry associations in the district to mobilize youth, identify viable business ideas, and ensure smooth access to credit and mentorship.