Authors: Assistant Professor M. Hemarani, Assistant Professor V.Megala
Abstract: Women entrepreneurship has become a vital driver of inclusive economic growth, innovation, employment generation, and sustainable development in India. The increasing participation of women in entrepreneurial activities has strengthened the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector, promoted financial inclusion, and enhanced socio-economic empowerment. This review paper examines the role of women entrepreneurs in fostering sustainable economic growth, analyses major government initiatives supporting women-led enterprises, identifies key challenges, and explores their contribution to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The study adopts a descriptive research design based entirely on secondary data collected from government reports, policy documents, international organizations, and peer-reviewed literature. The findings indicate that government initiatives such as Startup India, Stand-Up India, Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), Skill India, Digital India, and the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) have significantly improved women's access to finance, entrepreneurial skills, digital technologies, and market opportunities. Women entrepreneurs have contributed substantially to employment generation, MSME development, innovation, rural development, financial inclusion, and sustainable business practices. However, persistent challenges, including limited access to finance, gender discrimination, inadequate digital literacy, infrastructure constraints, market barriers, and work–life balance issues, continue to impede their entrepreneurial growth. The study further demonstrates that women entrepreneurship contributes directly to the achievement of SDGs 1 (No Poverty), 5 (Gender Equality), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and 13 (Climate Action). The paper concludes that strengthening policy support, expanding financial inclusion, enhancing digital and entrepreneurial skills, promoting innovation, and improving institutional support are essential for accelerating women-led enterprise development and achieving sustainable economic growth in India.
