By Rahul Jain

Entrepreneur, as a word, may have its origins in France, but one country that has truly pioneered entrepreneurship is India. Richard Branson once famously said, “Entrepreneurship is about turning what excites you in life into capital so that you can do more of it and move forward.” Well! We Indians have known and followed this for ages.

You don’t need to be a history buff to know about the supremacy of Indian entrepreneurs in the trade of silk and spices during the Maurya and Gupta period, which is roughly 2500-3000 years ago. During the Mughal era, entrepreneurs such as Virji Vohra and Jagat Seth showcased exemplary acumen as successful businessmen of their times. History books are

filled with stories of their wealth and influence in the royal court.

And not so long ago, a story that perhaps every Indian is aware of, goes about a man called Jamshetji Tata, a visionary entrepreneur and the founder of the mighty Tata group. A deep dive into the annuls of history will tell us about how brilliant architects each of these entrepreneurs have been. Yes, architects! Because despite starting up with utmost modesty

and with minimum capital, each one of these entrepreneurs displayed extraordinary talent and built giant enterprises all through innovation, passion, and hard work.

Therefore, when the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor’s National Entrepreneurship Context Index ranked India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem as the fourth best among 51 countries, for the quality of its entrepreneurship environment, I was not surprised. Entrepreneurship was always there in our country, it only got sharpened with time.

While the word ‘startup’, has gained significant traction across the globe in the last couple of decades or so, it was never an alien concept in India. Like a startup founder, earlier a farmer would get capital from a rich landlord in lieu of a portion of his farmland (like a PE / VC) or borrow from a moneylender (raising debt capital) and start work on his land. The old

Kirana shop owners, we all have seen while growing up were nothing but startup entrepreneurs in their own rights. The concepts of startups and entrepreneurship have always been deep-rooted in our society and exist in different manifestations.

So, is there any difference between the startups and entrepreneurs of yesteryears and those of today? Yes, there is and that is called technology. While innovation and technology have always existed in different forms, modern-day technology is far superior to anything ever known to mankind. This technology has suddenly infused a new flow of energy among

the younger generation and thus accelerated the growth of startup entrepreneurs.

Right from product design to customer outreach, to access to capital, everything has been made easy by technology. It has instilled confidence in a whole generation of young professionals, who were always inspired to take the entrepreneurial plunge but feared the risks that accompanied it. Technology has sparked the entrepreneurial spirit among Indians that was passed on to us by our forefathers but remained hidden due to a lack of adequate opportunities and facilities.

Having worked with so many startup entrepreneurs in India over the past decade, one thing that I can state with utmost conviction is that their zeal is contagious. They are no longer motivated by just profits alone but are idealistic and want to seriously touch the lives of millions by bringing about a societal change. That is the reason why today we witness a plethora of startups across impact sectors such as healthtech, fintech, edtech, agritech, etc. each willing to solve the problems faced by individuals from different segments of society across the urban and rural divide.

The dynamic ecosystem of Indian startups is not just contributing to the growth of individual businesses but by driving a societal change, it is also playing a vital role in propelling India towards its ambitious $10 trillion economy goal. The day when India accomplishes this humongous feat, the accolades for this will go to these young startup entrepreneurs of today who will be the ‘Dhirubhais’ and ‘JRDs’ of tomorrow.

Hon’ble Prime Minister’s celebration of National Startup Day is therefore a testament to the spirit and enthusiasm of these young entrepreneurs. In conclusion, I would say that the word ‘entrepreneur’ is as much Indian as it is French. The French can take credit for the origin, but we Indians have added more strength and depth to the meaning of the word over the past thousands of years. On this special occasion, I wish that as a community of innovators, India’s startup ecosystem may continue to shape the country’s destiny and stand tall on the global stage.

Here’s to the dreamers, the doers, and the disruptors! Happy National Startup Day!

(Rahul Jain, Chief Executive Officer at SGA PR. Views expressed are author’s own. Please consult your financial advisor before investing.)