US President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump stole the show at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2017, which was opened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. The three-day jamboree is the biggest gathering of young entrepreneurs and emerging startups from all over the world and is jointly hosted by the United States and India.
As the 8th annual conference with the theme of “Women First — Prosperity for all” got underway with the two countries calling for domestic reforms and international initiatives for empowering the women, Modi highlighted close partnership and cooperation between India and the USA. The PM said November is celebrated as “Entrepreneurship Month” by India as a mark of its encouragement to the entrepreneurs. India and the US shared commitment to encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation, he said welcoming the delegates to India.
“Each of you young Indian entrepreneurs have the ability to create New India 2022. You are the nation’s wealth,” the Prime Minister said.
He reiterated his call to the foreign investors to become a partner in India’s growth story. “Make in India, Invest in India for India and the world,” he told them.
“The power to think differently and ahead of the time for the betterment of mankind is what sets entrepreneurs apart,” he said adding that the Indian women continue to lead in different walks of life.
India’s Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman were among the notable persons sitting in the front row of the audience in the session.
Ivanka Trump, who arrived in Hyderabad at 4 on Tuesday morning, was the cynosure of all eyes at the opening session. Hailing the role of the women entrepreneurs, who are the focus of GES this year, Ivanka said, “You prove to the world that we have the power to rise above the challenges of our day to pioneer new pathways forward and to leave our marks on this moment in history”.
Referring to the efforts of the US administration to encourage the entrepreneurship she said that they were aimed at enabling Americans to turn their dreams into incredible legacies.
She said fuelling the growth of women-led business was not simply good for the society but also for the economy. “One study estimates that closing the gender entrepreneurship gap worldwide could grow our global GDP by as much as 2%. Women in this room can help lead the way to closing this gap and ushering in a new age of greater prosperity,” she said.
Underlining the power of women especially with reference to India, Ivanka said, “Just consider if India closes the labour force gender gap, its economy could grow by over 150 billion dollars in the next three years”.
Ivanka, who is emerging as a leading US figure in the international diplomacy with a personal passion for women empowerment and girl education, said, “At home our administration is committed to empowering women entrepreneurs through domestic reforms”.
Underlining the remarkable stride made by the women in starting new business, Ivanka said, “Today more than 11 million women in the US own businesses. They employ 9 million workers and generate over $1 trillion in revenue”.
With the venue turning into a fortress by 10,000-odd security personnel and the elite commandos of the two host countries keeping a hawk’s eye inside the hall, 1500-odd delegates heard the speakers at the opening session keenly.
The opening session started with inaugural address of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao while India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj delivered the closing remarks. “I have no doubts that under the leadership of PM Modi and President Trump, India and the US relations will reach new heights and contribute to global peace and prosperity,” she said.
Sushma Swaraj described Ivanka as passionate advocate of education and empowerment of girls.
The summit will have more than 50 sessions over the next two days with many prominent women as speakers.