President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday while launching Gujarat University's platform for female entrepreneurs -- 'herSTART' -- said India raised its ranking from 81st to 40th in Global Innovation Index, underlining the importance of start-ups.
“I am informed that this university has over 450 start-ups. Out of which over 125 are headed by women. It is a matter of pride for me to inaugurate the herSTART platform. This will be a bridge for budding entrepreneurs with government schemes and private funds,” President Murmu said, who is on an official visit to Gujarat.
Addressing a public gathering after the platform's introduction, Murmu asserted that it will not only support women entrepreneurs' attempts to innovate and establish businesses but also serve as a useful conduit for linking them with several government and private entities. She also said that these start-ups will help create new jobs too.
She added, “recently, in the Global Innovation Index 2022, India which was at 81st position earlier has come up to the 40th position”.
The President also praised Gujarat, noting the state's rapid growth over the last two decades.
She said, "the state has its own model of development. Other states also have their own development models. I am hopeful that India will emerge as a developed country in this `amritkal' (from 75th year of independence to 100 years of independence).”
She also emphasised that many successful people including Dr Vikram Sarabhai, former chairman of ISRO Dr K Kasturirangan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were former students of Gujarat university.
She also inaugurated or laid the foundation stones for various projects related to education and tribal development which included the Sainik School, tribal hostels and schools in remote areas of the state, on Tuesday.