Feel The Freedom

Not so long ago, in India, entrepreneurship was met with distrust. Entrepreneurs in this country were judged as jobless, good for nothing and hopeless failures, who could do nothing better in their life. It is only within the last 10 years or so that entrepreneurship has become the aspirational journey and holy grail for the bright-eyed, inspired and fearless youth.

Entrepreneur India

And it is with that knowledge that we celebrate our first Indian class of 35 Under 35. These are the faces and the inspiration of tomorrow. They are our brightest young talents and minds. Not only are they laying the foundation for greatness in this country for generations to come, but they are also inspiring a movement so important and widespread that it has the power to change the cultural fabric of our country forever and in the process also transform our country and make it a better place to live. It's a movement of selfreliance, equality and opportunity; an ultimate freedom.

Today these 35 entrepreneurs and many others like them are the flag bearers of a life away from fear because that is the only thing that stands between you and greatness.

Our job as the edirotial desk is not complete only with your admiration of this list alone but it would be a mission accomplished only if it gives you the kick to chase that dream, take that risk and give yourself that opportunity to see what's on the other side.

This issue celebrates young people and their success -- and the opportunities they create. It is about their math, thought and passion -- and the fire in the belly that lights the two. We also look at how the Ministry of Skill development and Entrepreneurship has made an effort to rewarding such entrepreneurs, who dare to stand out of the crowd. Challenging convention and creating something new, I also met one such Indo – US entrepreneur, Vinod Gupta, recently, whose life is a tale of pushing boundaries, taking the dare and then giving it back to his roots.

(This article was first published in the February issue of Entrepreneur Magazine. To subscribe, click here)