Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of Ladakh, Ashish Kundra, on April 6 reviewed the progress of the Enterprising Ladakh project and interacted with student entrepreneurs during a presentation held in Leh.

The initiative, jointly implemented by the Department of Higher Education, UT Administration of Ladakh, and the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, aims to promote entrepreneurship and support youth-led enterprises across the region.

During the interaction, the Chief Secretary engaged with young entrepreneurs and appreciated their efforts in establishing ventures. He emphasised the need to scale up enterprises through improved market access, stronger financial linkages, and wider outreach of the programme across the Union Territory.

Project Director Amit Kumar Dwivedi presented an overview of the initiative, highlighting its impact since inception. He was accompanied by team members Dr. Diwakar Singh, Abhishake Nandan, Fariha Fatima, and Shubham Srivastava.

Among the featured enterprises, Rutsal Organics, represented by Tsewang Namgyal, shared its journey since inception at ITI Leh. The Pomo Crochet team also highlighted their inspiring transformation of a traditional family skill into a successful enterprise.

Other ventures showcased included Tsokar Heritage by Rigzin Palmo, Nubra Naturals by Rigzin Lotus, Curious Wang by Nawang Gyaltson, La Textiles by Tsering Diskit, Rangyul by Stanzin Jigmet, and Zanskar Ghee.

Under the initiative, more than 1,300 youth have been engaged through training and awareness programmes, leading to growing interest in self-employment. A total of 175 entrepreneurs have been facilitated with UDYAM registration, while 54 enterprises have secured FSSAI licences, enabling their integration into the formal economy and improving access to markets and financial services.

The project has identified key sectors with high growth potential, including tourism, handicrafts, renewable energy, agriculture and food processing, and e-commerce—each playing a crucial role in the sustainable development of Ladakh.

Overall, the Enterprising Ladakh initiative is not only fostering entrepreneurship but also laying a strong foundation for a self-reliant and economically empowered Ladakh.