Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Saturday urged entrepreneurs to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) as an opportunity for growth rather than view it as a threat.
File Photo: IANS
Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Saturday urged entrepreneurs to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) as an opportunity for growth rather than view it as a threat.
Radhakrishnan, who attended the International MSME Day 2026 celebrations at Dr Ambedkar International Centre, here, emphasised that quality can never be compromised and that innovation, technology adoption and continuous learning are essential for the long-term success of MSMEs.
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Union Minister for MSME Jitan Ram Manjhi, Minister of State for MSME Shobha Karandlaje, Chairman, KVIC Manoj Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of MSME Bharat Khera, senior officials of the Ministry, industry leaders and entrepreneurs were present on the occasion.
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Addressing the gathering, the Vice-President noted that Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises are the backbone of India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat @2047.
He said Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are much more than an economic category and embody the courage of first-generation entrepreneurs, the aspirations of youth, the determination of women entrepreneurs and the resilience of millions of small businesses that have transformed challenges into opportunities.
“India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat @2047 will be powered by a vibrant and dynamic MSME sector,” Radhakrishnan stated.
Sharing his own entrepreneurial journey, the Vice President said that after completing his graduation, he started a small garment business with financial support from his father.
Recalling the challenges during the initial years, he said perseverance, continuous learning and hard work enabled him to build a leading knitwear export business before entering public life.
He urged young entrepreneurs never to be discouraged by initial constraints and to dedicate themselves wholeheartedly to learning their trade.
Recalling his tenure as Chairman of the Coir Board, Radhakrishnan said he had little prior knowledge of the sector but immersed himself in understanding every aspect of the industry.
He said that by working closely with exporters and setting ambitious targets, the sector achieved remarkable growth. “If you decide to achieve something, work hard and learn everything about your field, success will certainly follow,” he said.
Emphasising the importance of quality, the Vice President said there can be no compromise on quality standards.
Radhakrishnan noted that cost reduction should never come at the expense of quality. “The real success lies in reducing costs while maintaining superior quality and better services than competitors,” he said, adding that quality remains the key to sustaining businesses in increasingly competitive global markets.
Calling for greater dynamism within the sector, the Vice President said every micro enterprise should aspire to become a small enterprise, and every small enterprise should grow into a medium enterprise.
He observed that entrepreneurs who begin as cottage industries should not remain at the same level throughout their working lives.
The Vice President also underlined the importance of adequate investment, policy support and easier access to finance to facilitate this transition.
He urged the Ministry of MSME to encourage universal registration of MSMEs, stating that better registration would improve data quality and enable more effective policy formulation based on the actual needs of the sector.
Referring to this year’s United Nations theme, “Human-Centred Entrepreneurship in an AI-Driven Future,” Radhakrishnan said technological change should be viewed as an opportunity rather than a threat.
Recalling the apprehensions that accompanied the introduction of computers, he noted that technology ultimately generated new employment opportunities. The Vice President expressed confidence that Artificial Intelligence would similarly create new avenues for growth, provided it is adopted constructively.
Appreciating the contribution of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Radhakrishnan said the organisation has brought about a remarkable transformation in sectors such as honey production and khadi garments.
He observed that while khadi draws inspiration from Gandhian ideals, it must also continuously adapt to changing consumer preferences and technological advancements to remain globally competitive.
On the occasion, the Vice President felicitated the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) on its elevation to Schedule ‘A’ Company.
He also launched the PMEGP 2.0 Portal, Samadhaan 2.0 Portal, Procurement and Marketing Support (PMS) 2.0 Portal, MSME Global Mart 2.0 Portal, Testing Centre Portal and the multilingual enablement initiative of the Ministry of MSME. The MSME Idea Hackathon 6.0 was also launched.
The Vice President released e-books on the Self-Reliant India (SRI) Fund and PM Vishwakarma (PMV) Scheme and launched new products of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).
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