UPITS: Women's Power—From Village To Global - Prof. Deepti Taneja

This picture of change is encouraging. A woman once identified by the name of her husband, father, or son is now known by the name of her enterprise and her brand. This is not merely a matter of changing a name but a testament to society's changing mindset and the true meaning of women’s empowerment. When a woman’s identity begins to be shaped by her own work, skills and achievements, it is a sign that the foundations of change are becoming stronger.

Walking through the corridors of the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show in Greater Noida, one gets the sense that the word empowerment is taking on a new meaning here. It is heartening to see women not merely standing in a corner of the venue, managing arrangements, or serving as part of the decoration. Instead, they are standing confidently at their respective stalls. The products displayed at their stalls tell the story of their hard work, skills and success.

The same hands that worked silently for years in kitchens, fields and at looms are today negotiating deals with domestic and foreign buyers. This is a new face of Uttar Pradesh. Confident women, young women engaging with buyers and women entrepreneurs firmly putting forward their views in business-to-business meetings while exploring new avenues of opportunity. This is the true meaning of women’s empowerment, where every woman is present with her distinct identity and independent existence. She is not seeking anyone’s favour; instead, she has moved beyond the queue of those seeking assistance and has now become an entrepreneur creating employment and livelihood opportunities for others as well. The most significant aspect of this picture is that 75 women entrepreneurs from all 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh are representing their skills and enterprises on a single platform.

At first glance, the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show looks different from any other trade fair. There are stalls, products, buyers, and bargaining, but look a little closer, and you see a glimpse of a shift in which the identity of a ‘woman of the household’ is gradually being established as that of a successful ‘entrepreneur’. Agra’s zari-zardozi, Amroha’s spices, Ayodhya’s herbal tea, Azamgarh’s black pottery, Kannauj’s perfume, Gorakhpur’s terracotta jewellery and Banaras’ carpets... every woman standing behind these products is an inspiring story and a reflection of a changing Uttar Pradesh.

Anjali from Ghaziabad is an example. She had a passion for painting. Often, amid household responsibilities, such passions remain merely a ‘hobby’, but Anjali transformed her skill into an enterprise. She took a loan through District Gramodyog Vikas and started painting on plain clothes. Today, her designed suits, dupattas, jeans, and trousers sell for up to Rs. 10,000. More importantly, her enterprise is providing regular employment to seven other women. This is where the true meaning of empowerment emerges. The loan helped her start her enterprise, and by employing seven other women, she has expanded the scope of opportunity.

When hands that once received assistance begin to support others, it signals that change is taking a sustainable form. This journey from dependence to self-reliance results from linking women’s entrepreneurship with economic participation and social welfare. In Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi government's schemes and institutional efforts to promote women’s entrepreneurship have created opportunities in this direction. Association with self-help groups has strengthened women’s confidence. The greatest strength of a group is that it transforms an individual woman's hesitation into collective confidence. By being part of a group, a woman in a village learns how to maintain accounts, decide a product's price, and put forward her point firmly while interacting with buyers.

Perhaps the greatest achievement of the trade show lies not merely in sales figures but also in the opportunities it provides to understand the market. Reaching customers directly at such a major event gives entrepreneurs a chance to understand the market’s response to their products. When a buyer examines the weave of a bedsheet or carefully reads the label on a bottle of pickle, the woman entrepreneur receives direct feedback about her product. These experiences help them understand the finer aspects of branding, sales, and market expansion, along with producing their products.

The participation of 75 women entrepreneurs from 75 districts at the trade show gives a wider dimension to this change. They are not merely exhibiting their products here but are also celebrating their skills, hard work and confidence. The aroma of Amroha’s spices, the freshness of Ayodhya’s herbal tea and the fragrance of Kannauj’s perfume add special colours to this celebration. Opportunities under the Yogi government's policies and schemes have given these women a platform to take their products and enterprises to larger markets.

Another special feature of this platform is the diversity of its products. It is not limited to traditional handicrafts; it also showcases innovation and new enterprises. Saroj Devi from Siddharthnagar makes products from banana fibre. Her work shows the potential of turning agricultural waste into useful products. Tabassum Maqsood from Prayagraj makes baskets and decorative items from moonj. Ranjana Devi from Ballia has brought phenyl, toilet cleaner and handwash. Madhubala from Sonbhadra has herbal soaps, honey and jute bags at her stall, while Shafika from Kheri has brought footwear and belts and is expanding her enterprise.

This product diversity conveys an important message. When women move beyond traditional boundaries and establish their identity in new fields, it also signals the growth of their social confidence alongside their economic confidence. They choose enterprises based on their interests, skills, and market requirements. In this way, their role is no longer limited to contributing to family income; they are also becoming participants in the local economy and in job creation.

The role of government schemes and policy initiatives also becomes evident here. Several entrepreneurs have acknowledged that government schemes and loan facilities have given momentum to their work. Whether through a loan received through District Gramodyog Vikas or self-help groups formed under the State Rural Livelihood Mission, these institutional supports have provided initial capital, guidance, and collective support. By using these opportunities, women have turned their skills into businesses and created a path to market.

Policies matter because they create opportunities for women to move forward and, over time, enable them to operate their enterprises independently. Events such as the trade show play an important role in accelerating this process. Here, women entrepreneurs can showcase their products, connect with buyers, and explore opportunities to expand their businesses. Their presence also shows that rural entrepreneurship no longer wants to remain confined to local markets but is moving toward larger and global markets.

This picture of change is encouraging. A woman once identified by the name of her husband, father, or son is now known by the name of her firm. Whether it is ‘Soul for Earth’, ‘Anjali Creation’ or ‘Pratibha Designer Hub’. This name change is not insignificant. Behind it lies a woman’s hard work, confidence, and determination to achieve something on her own. This change is reshaping society’s thinking while also strengthening women’s independent identity.

The true measure of women’s empowerment is not merely that a woman has benefited from a government scheme or received financial assistance to start a business. True success comes when she builds an identity through her own skills and hard work, takes her own decisions and opens new avenues of opportunity for others as well. The women entrepreneurs at the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show reflect this very change. Their journey from village to global is not merely a story of business expansion but of women’s power moving forward with their own name, their own brand, and their own identity.

About the Author: Prof. Deepti Taneja is a Professor in the Department of Economics at Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, University of Delhi. An accomplished academician and commentator, her work focuses on economic policy, public finance, and socio-political issues.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the publisher. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information, the publisher is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information.