As part of its efforts to reaffirm its position on technologically empowering SMBs (Small & Medium Businesses), Google India on Wednesday revealed its progression with regard to its Digital Unlocked campaign launched earlier this year while announcing the national winners of its flagship initiative-’SMB Heroes 2017’.
The IT giant further divulged its future goals to empower every Indian citizen with public internet connection by providing strong Wi-Fi access in every locality as a means to encourage knowledge among the masses and highlighted its ongoing digital efforts to promote this initiative through supporting SMBs.
Rajan Anandan, Vice President (India and South-East Asia), Google, while addressing reporters, said that the company always aims for a digitally connected India while pressing on the need to recognise local businesses that utilize digital technology for their growth. “India’s story of internet adoption continues to have a major impact on how people are consuming information, finding new businesses and connecting with one another but India’s 51 mil. strong small and medium business community is not yet where they should be and Google is committed to provide the training for their accelerated growth”, he said.
In a bid to address the technological loopholes, Google, under its Digital Unlocked campaign, which recognises digitally empowered business ventures, is providing online, offline and mobile trainings to empower Indian SMBs with essential digital skills claiming that over 20k businesses have been trained.
Also, three businesses emerged as national winners of ‘SMB Heroes’ under each categories viz. Farida Gupta (faridagupta.com) under ‘Business Impact Through Digital’, Shantanu Pathak and Aditya Kulkarni (CareNx) under ‘Impacting Change Through Digital’ and Arpita Ganesh (Buttercups) for ‘Woman Business leader’.
“It is encouraging to see initiatives like Google’s SMB Heroes program, which helps fuel economic growth making Internet a key facilitator in India’s SMB growth story,”said Ajay Sawhney, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.