The Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) Cell of SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST), in association with the Tamil Nadu Urban Livelihoods Mission (TNULM), the Tamil Nadu Corporation for Women’s Development, and the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, successfully organized a three-day College Bazaar from 30th July to 1st August 2025 at the SRMIST Campus near Tech Park. The event aimed to empower women entrepreneurs from Self Help Groups (SHGs) across UBA-adopted villages by providing a platform to showcase and sell their locally made products.

The event was inaugurated by Dr. Shivganesh Bhargava, Dean, School of Management, in the presence of Dr. V. Thirumurugan, Associate Director (Campus Life), SRMIST, and Ms. Emilly Priya, Assistant Project Officer (APO), Chengalpattu District – Mahalir Thittam, Government of Tamil Nadu. The bazaar featured an impressive variety of handmade and eco-friendly rural products such as nursery and garden items, garments and hand-stitched clothes, homemade herbal soaps, traditional sweets and snacks, household essentials, and handicrafts. These stalls attracted active participation from students, faculty, and staff, who engaged with the women entrepreneurs and supported their efforts by purchasing their products.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Shivganesh Bhargava highlighted the importance of nurturing rural entrepreneurship and announced that the Faculty of Management would offer training in marketing and product positioning for SHG members. This support aims to help women scale their ventures and expand their market reach. The initiative successfully promoted women-led micro-enterprises, created meaningful market linkages for rural products, and strengthened the spirit of academic–community collaboration under UBA.

The College Bazaar concluded on a highly successful note, reinforcing the potential of collaborative efforts between academic institutions and government bodies in fostering sustainable development. The UBA Cell of SRMIST extends its heartfelt appreciation to all dignitaries, government officials, SHG participants, and the SRMIST community for their enthusiastic involvement and continued support in empowering rural women entrepreneurs.