CHINAR International launches 5th Cohort of Small Business Support Programme

Srinagar, Sep 23: CHINAR International, a social impact organisation, has concluded its 3-day Small Business Support Programme, selecting 26 promising entrepreneurs from across Kashmir for its fifth cohort.

A statement issued here said that the event, held at Grand Comforts Hotel in Hyderpora, Srinagar, in collaboration with TISS Incube foundation, Mumbai, saw 560 applicants from nine districts, with 46 shortlisted for final presentations.

The programme featured intensive evaluations by an expert panel and inspirational speeches from successful local entrepreneurs. Khalid of Lady Hut and Abdul Hamid Bhat of Rahim Motors shared their success stories, while alumni from previous cohorts, including Rifaaz and Ahtisham, offered insights into their entrepreneurial journeys.

According to a statement, a felicitation ceremony on September 22 was attended by notable figures including Ismet Shahmiri (CHINAR patron), Syed Humayun Qaiser (Ex. Director Radio Kashmir), Rameez Makhdoomi (Sr. Journalist), Altaf Hussain (CHINAR patron), and Syed Parvaiz Qaiser (former Ranji cricketer and Industrialist). Following this, TISS faculty members Prof. Satyajit Majumdar and Sujay Dixit conducted a comprehensive training and capacity-building programme.

The selected entrepreneurs will receive financial support of up to Rs 1.5 lakh under Tier I and up to Rs 3.5 lakh under Tier II, along with expert guidance in technical skills, marketing, accounting, and business management.

The expert panel included Irfan Shahmiri (Global Executive Director, CHINAR International), Prof. Satyajit Majumdar (Dean, School of Management and Labour Studies, TISS), Sujay Dixit (CEO, TISS Incube foundation), Prof. Saad Parvez (Associate Professor, NIT Srinagar), Dr Shazia Manzoor (HOD, Department of Social Work, Kashmir University), Abdul Rouf Khan (JKEDI), Adil Ahsan (Asst. General Manager, SIDBI), Mohd Rafiq (Development Executive, SIDBI), and Javeed Hajam (Assistant Director Programs and Operations, CHINAR International).

To date, CHINAR International has supported 72 entrepreneurs through this initiative, contributing significantly to the region's economic growth. The organization remains dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship among Kashmiri youth, driving socio-economic transformation in the province, the statement said.