By Phuntsok Yangchen
DHARAMSHALA, May 25: The Tibetan Entrepreneurship Development (TED), an initiative of the Department of Finance of the Tibetan government in exile today launched the “Sikyong Entrepreneur of Year Award” and the “Investment Award for Up and Coming Entrepreneurs” worth 2100000 Rupees.
Tibetan Prime Minister Dr Lobsang Sangay and Thinley Gyatso, Secretary of Department of Finance, made the announcement at a press conference today.
The “Sikyong Entrepreneur of the Year” will be awarded a sum of INR 21,00,000 in recognition of the entrepreneur’s contribution to the community and to encourage other Tibetans to step forward and become involved in assuring the Socio-economic health of the Tibetan community.
The objective of the award, said Gyatso, is to contribute to and improve the socioeconomic conditions of the Tibetan diaspora through investing in Tibetan businesses and to recognize and celebrate the achievements of successful Tibetan entrepreneurs, thereby inspiring Tibetans to become more involved in entrepreneurship.
The “Investment Award for Up and Coming Entrepreneurs” is a competition to identify new entrepreneurs who have a great business plans but do not have the financial support to make it a reality. Two to three entrepreneurs will be awarded a sum of INR 15,00,000.
TED will organize a two-day conference for entrepreneurs in August and the winner will be selected during the conference. The entrepreneurs will be judged based on the criteria set up by the TED and a series of interview. The official announcement for the winners will be made on September 2, Tibetan Democracy Day this year.
The TED initiative was formulated during the previous Kashag, implemented by the present Kashag and launched in October last year.
“TED aims to mobilize and amplify Tibetan Entrepreneurial spirit by fostering, nurturing and celebrating Entrepreneurship and to provide end-to-end support for Entrepreneurs of the Diaspora by ensuring access to knowledge, networks, mentoring and funding to entrepreneurs of scalable business and encouraging the next generation of Tibetan entrepreneurs by reaching out to the Diaspora”, the CTA Website said.
