CHHOTA BUSINESS BADE SAPNE -Ban Jao Biyani!

~Think, Act, and Get that entrepreneurial spirit going~

The Indian industry is home to some of the most diversified businesses both small and large. From an individual setup, to family owned businesses - and down right to professionally managed companies;

each with its own unique setup, has time and again, raised the bar and is contributing to the economy at large. Many of these companies have some very interesting success stories to their credit. It has been the entrepreneurial drive, and the vision to succeed of these brilliant individuals coupled with the collective team spirit which ultimately has made the overall difference.

Other than the big corporate and industry setup, the Indian economy is largely driven by the small scale sector or SME (Small and Medium Enterprise). This sector contributes to nearly 40 per cent of India’s economy. Though it may be unorganised at certain levels, it helps creates jobs (skilled and semi skilled) for the rural segment and keeps the wheels of economy running. And now with some good government policies, and corporate backing, we have many new companies setting base other than rural areas viz. manufacturing and service thereby improving the overall growth scenario.

By and large, the government in its capacity is making strides in getting the SME sector on par with their larger counterparts. However, there is a lot of ground to be covered, and this lacuna can be addressed by the corporate sector as they have the resources and management skills to bring about a major change.

Furthermore, in its endeavour to take the SME growth story to the next level, CNBC AWAAZ in association with Future Group has initiated a unique reality show called Ban Jao Biyani. The show shall enable entrepreneurs in promoting their business perspective – from local to regional and from regional to national. The show aims to give an impetus to their enterprising spirit by supporting the most promising one amongst them. It will be the first ever Reality Show which gives a platform to entrepreneurs to fulfill their dream of becoming BIG.

The idea is to identify and nurture the entrepreneurial spirit among the various SMEs in India and help them realise their true potential. And to get this thing in perspective, CNBC AWAAZ has got none other than Kishore Biyani himself on board to identify and groom the next generation of entrepreneurs. Kishore Biyani needs no introduction. An ace entrepreneur, he is the king of retail and the man behind the supermarkets in India [Big Bazaar, Pantaloon, Mega Mart). He along with a core team of professionals would review your pitch note and make the final decision.

To participate in the hunt for the best entrepreneur, firms can register themselves at http://www.banjaobiyani.in.com/

The selection process will be in three stages .The first stage, would be a call for entries. In the second stage, 100 out of 2000 entries will be shortlisted. In the next step 25 out of those 100 entries will be selected and finally 6 participants will battle it out for the chance of mentoring from none other than Kishore Biyani himself. To further connect with the audience and prospective entrepreneurs the panel will travel to various cities like Ahmedabad, Ludhiana and Hyderabad, and hold discussion on ‘Growth in challenging times’.

The winner, after going through a rigorous evaluation process will get an opportunity of his/her life-time. Future Group will invest in the winner’s business and Kishore Biyani himself playing the role of a mentor, will help the entrepreneur with all the inputs required by them to take their business to new heights.

Commenting on this development, Mr. Neel Chowdhury, Vice President, Marketing CNBC-TV 18 and CNBC AWAAZ said, “The show will provide entrepreneurs a much needed platform to add muscle and wings to their businesses under the guidance of Kishore Biyani, pioneer of the Indian retail industry. This first of its kind reality show on Indian television pioneered by CNBC AWAAZ and Mr. Kishore Biyani himself comes at a time when Indian entrepreneurs are clearly aiming for taking their business and dreams to the next level.”

About CNBC AWAAZ:

CNBC AWAAZ is India's No. 1 Business channel. The channel reaches out to India's affluent Hindi speaking consumers and is a credible source for timely information on intelligent investing, saving, spending decisions, as well as the latest career opportunities. The CNBC AWAAZ editorial team brings with them more than 15 years of experience each and a nation wide network spanning more than 45 cities. The reporting team is backed by a strong research set up, the first of its kind in India that specializes in research including consumer research, commodity markets, small business related information and stock markets.

For Further Information contact:

Saroja Shankaran / Amanda Mendonza

9833635757 / 9833618458

[email protected] , [email protected]