Shoolini University launches 'Pragati' to Empower Rural Women Entrepreneurs

Shoolini University launched ‘Pragati’, a pioneering initiative aimed at empowering rural women entrepreneurs by equipping them with essential business skills, mentorship, and leadership support. Spearheaded by Payal Jindal Khanna, Deputy Director and Head of the Centre for Leadership Coaching, with strategic guidance from Chief Learning Officer Dr Ashoo Khosla and Vice-Chancellor Prof Atul Khosla as Programme Advisor, the programme began with an inaugural session involving seven Sakhis from villages under the Sanhol Panchayat. Conducted in a hybrid format, the session enabled meaningful interaction between the Sakhis, Sarthis (coaches), and Sahyogis (student mentors), laying a strong foundation for their entrepreneurial journey. Scheduled from January to July 2025, the programme follows a structured three-tier coaching and mentorship model that emphasizes regular participation, collaborative learning, and practical implementation. Coaches conduct focused one-on-one sessions to build self-awareness, address challenges, and develop solutions, while student mentors provide continuous business guidance through regular checkpoints and individual interactions. Organized by the Centre for Leadership Coaching, the initiative also included awareness and orientation sessions in adopted villages to promote entrepreneurship, self-reliance, and livelihood opportunities among rural women. Through interactive discussions and confidence-building activities, the programme enhanced participants’ understanding of entrepreneurship and Project Pragati, encouraged active engagement, and helped identify women interested in pursuing further training and sustained mentoring support.