Social Entrepreneurship in India: A Catalyst for Social Change

Abstract

India’s social entrepreneurship has evolved into an important lever for addressing social, economic and environmental problems. The article examines the changing landscape of social entrepreneurship in India as a novelty. The report identifies sectors, including education, healthcare, renewable energy and agriculture, in which social enterprises play a strong role. Notwithstanding this progress, social entrepreneurs continue to encounter plenty of challenges, including restricted access to financing opportunities, regulatory hurdles, scaling issues and lack of skilled talent. The study further explores funding sources for social enterprises, with particular attention to the role of impact investors, governmental schemes and corporate social responsibility (CSR) among them. At the same time, gender representation within social entrepreneurship shines too as women and non-binary people get more involved in the field, though there is still much to support. It also highlights the need for impact measurement and accountability to make social enterprises effective. The findings indicate a strong recommendation for the need of a supportive ecosystem, including policy reforms, better access to funding and better market linkages for sustainable growth of social entrepreneurship in India. As such, this study both explores the barriers and opportunities faced across the sector and proposes practical recommendations for enhancing social entrepreneurship as a vehicle for sustainable development.

Keywords: Social Entrepreneurship, Social Impact, Sustainable Development, Funding Sources, Sectoral Distribution

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