National Startup Day: Dr Jitendra Singh Hails India’s Rise as Global Startup Leader at CSIR-IIIM Jammu

Jammu January 16, 2026 — Union Minister for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, celebrated National Startup Day at the CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) in Jammu today, highlighting the monumental shift in India’s entrepreneurial landscape under the Prime Minister’s vision.

Addressing a gathering of researchers, students, and young innovators, Dr Singh noted that India has surged from just a few hundred ventures in 2014 to over 2 lakh startups, securing the third rank globally. He emphasized that the “Startup India, Stand-Up India” initiative has successfully democratized entrepreneurship, with nearly half of these ventures now emerging from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, proving that innovation is no longer confined to metropolitan IT hubs.

During the event, Dr Singh lauded CSIR-IIIM as a “living legacy” and pointed to the Purple Revolution—which began with lavender cultivation in Doda—as a prime example of how science-driven grassroots entrepreneurship can transform rural economies. He debunked the myth that startups require elite degrees or urban locations, stating that talent flourishes anywhere when supported by technology access and market linkages.

The Minister also witnessed the launch of VELA-VITE HartBeet, a heart-health nutraceutical developed by an incubated startup, and oversaw an MoU between the IIIM-TBI BioNest Incubation Centre and M/s Tribe Route Essentials Pvt Ltd to foster collaborative growth in the bio-resource sector.

Director of CSIR-IIIM, Dr Zabeer Ahmed, informed the Minister that the institute has successfully incubated 128 startups to date, with 18 products already reaching the commercial market. The celebration featured an interactive pitch session where young entrepreneurs presented diverse ideas ranging from agri-tech solutions to mental health and herbal remedies.

Deputy Commissioner Doda, Harvinder Singh, also spoke at the event, encouraging local youth to leverage the region’s organic produce and medicinal plants to build sustainable businesses. The day concluded with the distribution of prizes for innovation contests, reinforcing the government’s commitment to mentoring the next generation of “job providers” rather than “job seekers.