Women entrepreneurs have been a part of Laghu Udyog Bharti from its inception. However, the first independent “Mahila Ikai” (Women’s Wing) was established in Ujjain. Today, there are 51 Mahila Ikai chapters across the country.
Women entrepreneurs face two primary challenges: securing funding for their businesses and marketing their products. To address the funding issue, the organization regularly conducts sessions and loan melas at the Ikai level in collaboration with various government departments and banks.
For marketing, the Ikai chapters began organizing small exhibitions, which have proven to be effective. In 2019, the Bhopal Ikai hosted one such exhibition and named it “SWAYAMSIDDHA.” The name received widespread appreciation and was well-received by all. Encouraged by its success, the Jaipur Ikai chose the same name for their next exhibition. As a result, the name quickly gained recognition at the national level. In response to its growing popularity, it was decided that the organization would register both the brand and logo for “SWAYAMSIDDHA.”
In 2022, SWAYAMSIDDHA was officially registered as Laghu Udyog Bharti’s trademark for events organized by women’s Ikai chapters nationwide. To date, more than 100 events have been held under this brand, with 25 SWAYAMSIDDHA exhibitions done in 2024-25 alone.
See the attached calendar
Initially, exhibitions were organized by sharing the event costs among participants on a small scale. In 2020, Bhopal organized an exhibition with approval from the MSME Department under the PMS (Procurement & Marketing Support) Scheme. This scheme allows the MSME Department to reimburse exhibitors for the costs of participating in exhibitions. Under the scheme, an MSME can benefit from two domestic exhibitions and one international exhibition per year. Women-owned MSMEs receive a 100% refund of participation costs, while male-owned MSMEs are eligible for a 80% refund.
Following Bhopal, teams from Jaipur, Ajmer, Kishangarh, and Alwar also organized SWAYAMSIDDHA exhibitions with the support of MSME, EPCH, DCH, and SIDBI. These exhibitions became a powerful platform for creating successful events with massive participation and impressive sales. The largest exhibition, held in Jaipur, featured a record 176 stalls.
We are committed to expanding SWAYAMSIDDHA into an internationally recognized brand.
SWAYAMSIDDHA is not just an exhibition; it is the story of entrepreneurial women overcoming challenges and striving to prove their worth.
