Gautam Adani Launches Vande Bharatam to Discover India’s Grassroots Innovators and Entrepreneurs

Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, has launched Vande Bharatam, a nationwide entrepreneurship and innovation movement aimed at identifying promising innovators, problem-solvers and changemakers from every corner of India. The initiative was announced in Ahmedabad on June 25, 2026, marking Mr Adani’s 64th birthday.

Vande Bharatam has been designed as a national platform for Indians with ideas, innovations, prototypes, early-stage ventures or established enterprises. The programme will reach all 36 States and Union Territories, more than 800 districts, and multiple Indian languages, making it one of the broadest entrepreneurial discovery initiatives in the country.

The central idea behind the movement is to take opportunity beyond India’s established start-up hubs. While India is already counted among the world’s leading start-up ecosystems, a large share of founders still emerge from a small number of major cities. Vande Bharatam seeks to correct this imbalance by giving visibility, mentorship and access to networks to talented individuals from metros, emerging cities, small towns, rural communities and traditional enterprise backgrounds.

The initiative is open to people of all ages, professions and educational backgrounds. A registered start-up is not necessary to participate. Applicants may enter with a concept, a working solution, a prototype, a growing business or a community-based innovation. The programme will welcome entries from sectors such as technology, manufacturing, agriculture, sustainability, traditional crafts, local problem-solving and social impact.

A special focus will be given to widening participation from women entrepreneurs, tribal entrepreneurs, rural innovators, Divyang entrepreneurs and community-led changemakers. This inclusive approach gives Vande Bharatam a wider national purpose: to identify talent where formal start-up networks may not yet have reached.

Applications will be evaluated through a structured, multi-stage process. The selection will focus on innovation, entrepreneurial potential, social and economic impact, and scalability. After state and regional evaluations, 75 finalists will be invited to Ahmedabad for an immersive programme involving mentorship, industry exposure, investor interactions and engagement with business leaders.

The programme will culminate in a national Grand Finale around Independence Day. The finale is expected to become the starting point for a longer engagement platform that connects participants with mentors, investors, incubation support, industry leaders and strategic partners. Prize money and category-based recognitions will also be part of the initiative, with further details to be announced later.

Speaking at the launch, Mr Adani said the initiative was rooted in his own journey and his belief that India has no shortage of talent, only a need for wider access to opportunity. He said Vande Bharatam is an effort to discover innovators and entrepreneurs whose ideas deserve recognition, support and a larger stage.

The initiative will also feature acclaimed actor, television host and entrepreneur Rajeev Khandelwal as its Ambassador and Host. He will help take the message of Vande Bharatam to a wider audience and highlight stories of entrepreneurial courage from across India.

With outreach planned across India and the global Indian diaspora, Vande Bharatam is positioned as a movement for the next generation of Indian entrepreneurship. Its larger mission is to support the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 by encouraging innovation, job creation, local enterprise and problem-solving from the grassroots upward.

Applications for Vande Bharatam opened on June 24, 2026, through the official programme website: vandebharatam.org.

Source: ADANI.COM