Vishwa Konkani Centre Empowers Women Entrepreneurs in Mangaluru

By: Women Entrepreneurs Review Team | Wednesday, 5 August 2026

The Vishwa Konkani Kendra (World Konkani Centre), in collaboration with Vardhani, successfully concluded its two-day residential workshop, Scale Up – Entrepreneurship Advancement for Konkani Women Entrepreneurs, in Mangaluru on August 2. Held on August 1 and 2, the free initiative brought together around 50 women entrepreneurs from across the region to strengthen their business capabilities through practical learning, networking and mentorship.

Key Highlights:

• Around 50 Konkani women entrepreneurs attended the free two-day residential workshop in Mangaluru
• Experts delivered sessions on entrepreneurship, financial planning, marketing and business expansion
• Organisers encouraged women to strengthen networks, build confidence and scale their enterprises

The workshop aimed to equip women entrepreneurs with the knowledge, skills and confidence required to expand their enterprises in an increasingly competitive business environment. Participants attended interactive sessions covering entrepreneurship, business growth strategies, financial planning, marketing, enterprise development and skill enhancement.

Retired Joint Director of the Department of Skill Development, Aravind D. Baleri, inaugurated the programme as chief guest. Addressing the gathering, he highlighted the growing participation of women in entrepreneurship and acknowledged their increasing contribution to the business ecosystem. He also briefed participants on various government schemes and institutional support available to entrepreneurs, encouraging them to take advantage of these opportunities as they build sustainable enterprises.

A total of 16 resource persons conducted specialised sessions throughout the workshop, sharing practical business knowledge and insights drawn from their professional experience. The sessions focused on helping participants identify growth opportunities, strengthen operational capabilities and develop long-term business strategies.

Delivering the keynote address at the concluding session, Vatika Pai Kamath, Proprietor of Vatika International Travels and Nirmala Travels, encouraged participants to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset built on confidence, trust and meaningful professional relationships. She shared real-life examples from her entrepreneurial journey and emphasised that strong networks and self-belief are essential for scaling businesses successfully.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Vishwa Konkani Kendra President Nandagopal Shenoy congratulated the participants for completing the programme. He stressed that businesses flourish when entrepreneurs combine honesty, confidence and continuous skill development. He also reiterated the organisation's commitment to supporting women-led enterprises through similar capacity-building initiatives.

Women entrepreneurs from different regions actively participated in discussions and shared their business experiences, challenges and takeaways from the workshop. Organisers said the residential format created valuable opportunities for collaboration, peer learning and knowledge exchange among participants from diverse backgrounds.

Vishwa Konkani Kendra Vice-President Ramesh D. Nayak and Vardhani promoter Usha Nandagopal Shenoy attended the event alongside organisers and resource persons. Suchitra S. Shenoy compered the inaugural session, while Lakshmi Kini rendered the Konkani anthem and Raksha Shenoy handled participant introductions.

Organisers expressed confidence that the Scale Up workshop would strengthen women-led enterprises within the Konkani community by providing practical guidance, expanding professional networks and encouraging more women to pursue entrepreneurial growth. The initiative reflects the continued efforts of Vishwa Konkani Kendra and Vardhani to promote entrepreneurship and create greater opportunities for women business owners across the region.