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SAP, TV9 Network join hands to empower and celebrate India’s SMEs
Mumbai: After the stupendous success of the ‘Leaders of Global Bharat’ series that aimed at empowering Indian SMEs hit hard by pandemic-induced lockdowns last year, TV9 Network and SAP India have again joined hands to forge two pioneering initiatives to help homegrown businesses rise and shine in enabling an Atmanirbhar Bharat.
With the objective to engage our business heroes from SMEs in more meaningful pursuits to inspire a whole new generation to take on the mantle of entrepreneurship and also acknowledge their contribution to India’s growth, SAP India and TV9 Network announced the launch of Mentors of Global Bharat series and Dare2Dream Awards 2021.
These two ambitious programmes were announced at Enabling Atmanirbhar Bharat forum, which saw participation from technology thought leaders, eminent policymakers, and business stalwarts.
Stating that TV9 Network is happy to be associated with SAP in this exciting journey, TV9 Network chief growth officer (television & digital), Raktim Das said, “SME sector is indeed the growth locomotive of Indian business & economy. They provide critical depth to the manufacturing and service sectors, foster entrepreneurship, and generate substantial employment. Enabling and empowering them to build an Atmanirbhar Bharat is an imperative.”
“While Mentors of Global Bharat will be a platform where aspiring entrepreneurs will meet business icons and get to learn from their success stories and business best practices; Dare2Dream Awards will look at recognizing business leaders who had the resilience to not only tide over the pandemic induced crisis but also come out stronger by resetting their business models,” added Das.
Commenting on the programme, SAP president of Asia Pacific – Japan Paul Marriott said, “We have seen the unprecedented adverse impact of the pandemic on business and economy – with supply chains being disrupted and demand drying up. There is no playbook or prescription that can guide businesses to emerge from such impact and resurrect themselves rapidly.”
“In the many interactions that we have had with our SME customers, we realised that many entrepreneurs felt the need to interact with mentors who have successfully traversed the same path before. Peer-to-peer learning and recognition of digital-led innovation are both very important in these times and any platform that facilitates these is a step in the right direction,” he added.
On SAP’s constant endeavour to empower homegrown businesses, SAP Indian subcontinent president and MD Kulmeet Bawa said, “Our Global Bharat program was introduced to support MSMEs last year. Taking this program forward, we are today launching these two pioneering initiatives.”
“While the Mentors of Global Bharat programme is designed to help SME entrepreneurs to learn and get inspired by industry leaders and peers who have successfully navigated the new normal, the Dare2Dream Awards series was established to recognize visionaries in the SME sector who have demonstrated innovation and digital mindset and create business impact in adverse times,” Bawa added.
Terming it one of the most required programmes aimed at helping entrepreneurs, SAP India midmarket vice president Subramanian Ananthapadmanabhan said, “Whether one is just starting out or looking to improve their SME’s quality and turnover, it can be hard to know what direction to go next and it’s completely normal. No business owner knows everything at the start. That’s part of the reason why being mentored as a business owner is such a brilliant idea.”
The series was launched in Enabling Atmanirbhar Bharat forum which saw participation from eminent policymakers 15th Finance Commission chairman NK Singh; Noted economist and former chief economic advisor Dr Arvind Virmani, and SIDBI chairman Sivasubramanian Ramann.
Speaking on the role of MSMEs in enabling an Atmanirbhar Bharat, Singh said, “It’s a force multiplier. India’s quest for becoming a $5 tn economy and more rests majorly on the SME sector. The quest for generating gainful employment is also primarily dependent on how we provide a fillip to the small and medium businesses. I regard our homegrown businesses central to India’s quest for increasing productivity and efficiency and also emerge as a leading global player.”
Dr Arvind Virmani said, “We must ensure that there is a level playing for our SMEs. The taxation reforms for new manufacturing enterprises is a welcome step. SMEs are critical to India’s inclusive growth and to ensure that as a country we sustain a growth momentum for the next 30 years. Corporations like SAP will drive productivity to make SMEs successful.”
Mentors of Global Bharat got a shot in the arm with Paramount Cables chairman and CEO Sanjay Aggarwal and Insecticides (India) Ltd managing director Rajesh Aggarwal, who joined as mentors for the initiative. They also lauded the objective behind the mentorship programme.
More industry leaders will be joining as Mentors of Global Bharat in the coming weeks.
Watch the full episode here:
https://www.facebook.com/TV9Bharatvarsh/videos/851419602205284
To know more about the initiative, visit: https://www.growthmattersforum.com/global_bharat_program
https://growthmattersforum.com/new-launch/dare2dream-awards-and-mentors-of-global-bharat/
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UDF poised to return to power in Kerala, says Manorama-CVoter survey
Massive opinion poll projects shift in Kerala politics ahead of 2026 Assembly elections.
MUMBAI: The winds of change appear to be blowing through Kerala’s political landscape and this time, they seem to favour the United Democratic Front. A comprehensive mega opinion survey conducted by Manorama News in partnership with CVoter projects a potential comeback for the UDF in the upcoming Kerala Legislative Assembly Elections 2026. The survey, covering all 140 constituencies with a massive sample size of nearly 90,000 respondents, predicts the UDF could win between 69 and 81 seats.
The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) is expected to secure 57 to 69 seats, a significant drop from the 99 seats it won in the 2021 elections. This would mean the LDF losing 30 to 42 of its sitting seats. Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which drew a blank in 2021, is projected to open its account with 1 to 5 seats.
Region-wise, the UDF is expected to make strong gains in Malabar, winning 25 to 34 out of 48 seats, and in Central Kerala, where it could bag 29 to 33 out of 53 seats. In South Kerala, the LDF is likely to retain an edge with 21 to 25 seats, while the UDF may improve to 12 to 16 seats. The NDA could pick up 1 to 3 seats in the southern region.
The survey was conducted between 14 and 26 March 2026, with additional tracker and snap polls carried out from December 2025 to March 2026. A total of 89,693 respondents participated, ensuring representation across all demographics and social segments.
Manorama News has a strong track record of accuracy, with its previous projections closely matching the actual results of the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections as well as the 2021 Kerala Assembly polls.
In Kerala’s famously fierce political battles, this survey suggests the pendulum may be swinging back. Whether the final verdict matches these numbers or throws up another surprise, one thing is clear, the 2026 Assembly elections are shaping up to be one of the most keenly watched contests in the state’s history.
