iLEAD Annual Awards 2023: Age of Entrepreneurship
Event Date:
November 25, 2023
iLEAD celebrated its 13th Annual Day on November 25th, 2023 with an extravagant celebration dedicated to honoring the indomitable spirit of entrepreneurs. The highlight of the event was the grand launch of the Draupnir Capital Incubation Centre at the iLEAD campus.
Draupnir Capital, a leading private equity advisory firm, has committed to providing comprehensive support to young start-ups, with a special focus on iLEAD graduates. The Draupnir Capital Incubation Centre is the first of its kind in Kolkata, offering end-to-end advisory services to entrepreneurs—from ideation to actionable business plans, backed by financial support. The incubation centre's commitment extends to providing resources, capital, intellectual property, and administrative assistance, fostering the growth of budding enterprises.
To ensure the success of these startups, the State Bank of India will power them with the 'Bhavishyat Credit Card' scheme, providing an initial capital injection of Rs 5 lakhs. This financial support plays a crucial role in empowering aspiring entrepreneurs associated with iLEAD and participating in the Draupnir Capital Incubation Centre.
The celebration, themed 'Age of Entrepreneurship', brought together esteemed guests, successful alumni turned entrepreneurs, and dedicated teachers playing pivotal roles in guiding future entrepreneurs across various schools.
The distinguished guests for the event included:
- Mr. Nitin Jain: Co-founder and CBO at Of Business (Chief Guest)
- Ms. Elizabeth Lee: Director of the American Centre, Kolkata, and Public Affairs Officer of the U.S. Consulate General in Kolkata (Guest of Honor)
- Mr. Indrajit Bhalotia: Professional Golfer and Director at Protouch Sports (Guest of Honor)
- Mr. Sanjeev Nandwani: Former Civil Servant and Strategic Advisor (Guest of Honor)
- Mr. Hemant Mediratta: Chief Empowerment Officer of HMC, Founder of One Rep Global, and Chief Advisor, Leela Palace Hotels & Resorts (Guest of Honor)
- Mr. Thierry Vannier, Director of Customer Development and Operational Marketing, Galeries Lafayette
iLEAD took the opportunity to recognize the success and achievements of individuals in three categories: successful entrepreneurs, alumni with professional excellence, and teachers contributing significantly to entrepreneurship education in schools.
Some of the teachers who were duly honored at the iLEAD Annual Awards include Ms. Rina Banerjee (Ashok Hall Girls’ Higher Secondary School), Ms. Mili Sarker Deb (DPS, Megacity), Priyadarshini Dasgupta (Abhinav Bharati High School), Ms. Amrita Sanyal Sinha (Mahadevi Birla World Academy), Ms. Bandita Debnath (Jodhpur Park Boys’ School), Ms. Debjani Sarker (Shri Shikshayatan School), Ms. Sudarshana Ghosh (Apeejay School), Mr. Sujoy Kundu (The New Town School), Ms. Debarati Sharma (St. Joseph and Mary’s School) and more.
The entrepreneurs who received the awards for their successful entrepreneurial venture include Ms. Kamalini Paul ( Hotel De Sovrani), Mr. Anirban Aditya (Aditya Group), Ms. Sujata Chatterjee (Twirl Store), Mr. Indrajit Lahiri (Pickle Solutions Pvt. Ltd.), Mr. Sunando Banerjee (Hanglaatherium and Anonymous Digital), Mr. Joydeep Sen (Speaking Mirrors), Mr. Sunanda Banerjee (Innolead), Ms. Seema Ahmed (Gainwell Travels) and more.
iLEAD also recognized its successful alumni that include Vatsala Jhunjhunwala (Amazon), Zeeshan Shireen (PwC), Syed Askari Abbas (PwC), Pasupureddy Shivani (Times Group), Tannishtha Mazumder (TV9), Shikha Shah (GS Marketing Associates). Alumni who received recognition for their entrepreneurship ventures are Arsalan Aiyub (The Leather & Goods Co.), Arijit Paul (A P Enterprises), Sanjeev Roy (The Lions Crown), Punit Agarwal (Evocate Productions), Meha Shah (Golu Cakes), Aastha Agarwal (Panda Crafts), Nayanika Saha (Saday) and more. The celebrated freelancers among the alumni who received the award are Anam Hussain, Madhumita Singh, Rohan Se
n and more.
As iLEAD continues to foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, the event symbolized a significant milestone in the institute's commitment to nurturing and empowering the next generation of business leaders. With the success stories of its alumni now taking center stage, iLEAD proudly looks toward the future, anticipating continued growth, success, and impactful contributions to the entrepreneurial landscape.
