BWI: Citi India Honours Individual Enterprise at the Citi Micro Entrepreneur Award, 2011

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Citi
Monday, December 05, 2011 08:00 PM IST (02:30 PM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Banking & financial services, Business services, Financial Analyst, Media & entertainment
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Citi India Honours Individual Enterprise at the Citi Micro Entrepreneur Award, 2011
Received over 800 applications from 77 nominating organizations - 74% Women Nominations; Four New Categories introduced - Youth, Green, Innovative and Community Owned Enterprise

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Monday, December 05, 2011 -- (Business Wire India) -- The 2011 Citi Micro Entrepreneur Awards today recognized nine micro entrepreneurs and a community owned enterprise at a ceremony presided over by Honourable Dr. K. C. Chakrabarty, Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India and hosted by Mr Pramit Jhaveri, CEO, Citi India along with the Governing Council Members of the awards program. Celebrating its eighth year, the awards program, launched in India in 2004, has grown to become a global initiative at Citi that acknowledges entrepreneurial skills and exemplifies the spirit of micro entrepreneurs who have overcome economic and social challenges to successfully build self-sustaining micro enterprises. It is also the first initiative to recognize the growing number of enterprises owned collectively by local communities in India.

In a process that took over six months, this year the awards team, led by our partner Friends of WWB, India and supported by MicroSave, received over 800 applications nominated by 77 organizations from across 20 states and 2 Union territories. 74% of those nominated were women. Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Maharashtra contributed the highest number of nominees at 470 applications. Since its inception, the program has received over 6,000 nominations by more than 150 organizations and honored, a total of 77 micro-entrepreneurs of which nearly 53% were women.

Chaired by Dr. Isher Judge Ahluwalia, Chairperson, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), the 2011 Governing Council comprising of five eminent personalities deliberated over the final 30 shortlisted nominations to adjudge the winners. The 10 winners received cash prizes totaling INR 1.87 million, a trophy and a citation. The winners will also be trained in business development, to enable them to manage their enterprises more efficiently.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Isher Judge Ahluwalia, Chairperson, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), said, "It was heartening to screen the profiles of the nominations this year as we came across many inspiring success stories of micro entrepreneurs who have become employers and catalysts for development in their respective communities. I am extremely proud to be part of the Citi Micro Entrepreneur Awards 2011, which celebrates the achievements of these individuals and seeks to bring about change at the grassroots of our economy, creating an inclusive financial ecosystem in the country".

Anand Selva, Country Business Manager, Global Consumer Group, Citi India said, "Microenterprise development has emerged as a major contributor to economic empowerment and social change. The Citi Micro Entrepreneur Awards aims to recognize the role that enterprise development play in enabling financial and economic empowerment." "The quality of applications this year is impressive. I am thankful to the entire team and members of the governing council for their time and commitment to this programme and in helping pronounce the winners from over 800 applications. I wish the winners success in all their future endeavours", he added.

The 2011 awards took into account geographical, socio-economic nuances and highlighted innovative, youth and green entrepreneurs for the first time. The winners are:

Individual Micro Entrepreneurs:
-- National : Charulata Swain
-- Regional
- South : P. Madan
- West : Godavari Shankar Satpute
- North : Nazma Bano
- East : Padmini Jena
- North East : Karabi Rajbongshi

-- Youth Entrepreneur: Sumaiya Khatun

-- Green Entrepreneur: Gajanan Bhaurao Bhasme

-- Innovative Entrepreneur: W. Memi Devi

-- Community Owned Enterprise: SADHNA (Mutual Benefit Trust)

The 2011 Governing Council included, for the first time, Mr. Anami Roy, former Director General of Police, Maharashtra, India and the former Police Commissioner of Mumbai; Mr. Haresh Shah, Chairman of Confederation for the Promotion of Khadi and Village Industries; Professor Rakesh Basant, Head, Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE) along with Ms Radhika Haribhakti, Chairperson, Swadhaar Fin Access and Ms Shabana Azmi, Social Activist and noted actor who have been on past councils.

About Citi:

Citi, the leading global financial services company, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management.

Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com | Twitter:@Citi | YouTube: www.youtube.com/citi | Blog: http://new.citi.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/citi | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/citi

About Citi Foundation:

The Citi Foundation is committed to the economic empowerment and financial inclusion of individuals and families, particularly those in need, in the communities where we work so that they can improve their standard of living. Globally, the Citi Foundation targets its strategic giving to priority focus areas: Microfinance, Enterprise Development, Youth Education and Livelihoods, and Financial Capability and Asset Building. The Citi Foundation works with its partners in Microfinance and Enterprise Development to support environmental programs and innovations. Additional information can be found at www.citifoundation.com.

To view the photographs, please click on the links given below:

MUMBAI:Winners of the Citi Micro Entrepreneur Award,2011 along with Anami Roy, former DG of Maharastra Police,Anand Selva,Country Business Manager, Global Consumar Group, Citi India, Isher Juge Ahluwalia Radhika Haribhakti,and Haresh Shah at NCPA, in Mumbai on Monday

MUMBAI: Anand Selva (R), Country Business Manager, Global Consumar Group, Citi India interact with media along with Isher Juge Ahluwalia at the Citi Micro Entrepreneur Award,2011 Press Conference at NCPA, in Mumbai on Monday

MUMBAI: Anand Selva (R), Country Business Manager, Global Consumar Group, Citi India and Isher Juge Ahluwalia with the National winner Charulata Swain from Odisha at the Citi Micro Entrepreneur Award,2011 during the Press Conference at NCPA, in Mumbai on Monday
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CONTACT DETAILS
Debasis Ghosh, Citi, +91 9821140365, debasis.ghosh@citi.com
Pooja Ahluwalia, Citi, +91 (124) 4186868, pooja.ahluwalia@citi.com
Shreela Roy, Citi, +91 9820149119, sroy@ipanhillandknowlton.co.in

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, BANKING, BUSINESS SERVICES, Financial Analyst, MEDIA

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