Women Entrepreneurship in India: Opportunities and Challenges for Inclusive Growth

Abstract Women entrepreneurship is playing a vital role in economic and social development of India. Women are also actively involved in business activities, like agriculture, food processing, handicrafts, education, health care, retail and professional services, and technology. These activities are a way for women to help earn household incomes, create jobs, build up local development, and innovate. Despite all of this, there are still a number of barriers that women entrepreneurs continue to encounter such as poor access to finance, inadequate business training, societal expectations, unequal distribution of household chores, lack of access to markets and digital divide. This paper reviews the role of women entrepreneurship in inclusive growth of the Indian economy in the light of opportunities and challenges faced by them. It highlights the importance of education, financial inclusion, use of digital technology, self-help groups, government support and leadership development in bolstering women-led enterprises. The paper uses a descriptive and analytical method using secondary sources like government publications, institutional reports and research literature. It states that the freedom of women entrepreneurs should not be only interpreted as to earn income. It should also be recognized as a means of fostering leadership, decision making, self-confidence, social competence and economic autonomy. The paper recommends that having easy access to finance, hands-on training, market linkages, digital literacy, having a mentor, and supportive institutional policies are needed to build sustainable women-led enterprises. Supporting women entrepreneurship could play a role in fostering a more inclusive economy where women have a meaningful role in economic decision-making and nation-building.