TISS prof who mentored 350+ startups honoured

Mumbai Professor Satyajit Majumdar, dean of School of Management and Labour Studies from Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), will receive the ‘Dr V G Patel Memorial Award-2023 for Entrepreneurship Trainer, Educator and Mentor’ on September 6 for his work in promoting and strengthening entrepreneurship in India. Dr Patel is widely acknowledged as the Father of Entrepreneurship Movement in India.

Majumdar’s name was chosen among 400 applicants from 26 states by a jury nominated by the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), Ahmedabad.

Over the last two decades, Majumdar 63, has played an important role in the development of entrepreneurship, especially in the social sector. Along with his team, he has mentored more than 350 startups, including 40 in Jammu and Kashmir and group startups in Jhabua, West Bengal. “Despite thinking about major investments in the startups, we put focus on providing livelihood for the locals,” said Majumdar.

Since joining TISS in 2010, Majumdar’s main role has been to build an ecosystem for entrepreneurship. In 2012, TISS started a separate entrepreneurship cell under his leadership. “Our major focus has always been on tribal and hilly areas of the country. We tie up with local organisations to help the youth. Apart from this, our focus is on sustainable development while selecting the themes of startups. For instance, one startup incubated at TISS is currently working in the waste management sector. We have more examples like this,” Majumdar added. Majumdar will donate the award money of ₹1 lakh to TISS Incube Foundation, incubation centre of TISS, Mumbai.