Women Entrepreneurship in India – Changes and Challenges

Traditional cultural perception perceived the roles of women to be confined within the four walls of the house, but in modern times, with economic reforms there is a transitional trend that is observed in terms of women’s participation in economic growth and women participation in business entities has been remarkable. India being termed as the second largest startup ecosystem in the world is expected to grow at around 10-12 percent. It is observed that 48 percent of the country’s population comprises of women, and it is impossible to think about economic growth without women as a fundamental driver. This paper therefore, emphasizes the role and challenges of women entrepreneurs, particularly in urban India. Recognition, reputation, resource regeneration are some of the advantages of women entrepreneurship besides monetary gains and financial inclusion. However any drastic changes in a cultural diverse environment like India is never easy. Perception of weakness, exploitation by middlemen etc. put barriers on the mobility and risk-taking ability of entrepreneurs in general and women in particular. Our study looks at new dimensions of entrepreneurship theoretically and empirically, the impact of changes in business environment on female entrepreneurship prospects and challenges. The paper also explores alternative policies and strategies to raise women entrepreneurs from the so called secondary status