PHDCCI Chairman pushes for business education in Punjab varsities

Karan Gilhotra, Chairman of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry Punjab, met former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi and Punjab Aam Aadmi Party in-charge Manish Sisodia and proposed to ensure the role of the chamber in the Business Blaster Scheme launched by the government for school and college level students.

Gilhotra has invited them to attend the Punjab International Trade Expo (PITEX-2025) to be held next month in Amritsar.

During this meeting, Karan Gilhotra told Manish Sisodia that PITEX has been organised for the last 18 years. Every year, two and a half to three lakh people come to this event during the five day span. This time, more than 500 businessmen from all over the country are participating.

Gilhotra, who is also the founder of Plaksha University, Mohali, discussed the need for compulsory business classes in Punjab universities, where every student is given the opportunity to think, understand and research a business idea. Given the scale and platform, the entrepreneurs of the PHDCCI can promote start-ups in collaboration with the government. We will welcome student entrepreneurs from government schools under the business blaster program at PITEX this year,” he said.

Gilhotra discussed in detail with Manish Sisodia the mentorship scheme being run for the School of Eminence and expressed interest in involving industrialists and chamber representatives associated with the PHD Chamber of Commerce. Manish Sisodia assured the chamber of all possible support from the Punjab government.

Business Blaster program is a flagship program launched inspired by a similar program in Delhi, that aims to turn students into entrepreneurs by teaching them practical business skills and providing seed money. Students in classes 11 and 12 can work in teams to develop business ideas, with selected students receiving a Rs 2,000 seed grant to start their projects.