More than a century- and-a-half after Gandhi’s birth, his ideas still find resonance in entrepreneurship rooted in Bharat

Is it possible in the current context to build a business that manifests principles of sarvodaya, swadeshi and satyagraha? That’s the question Mint tried to answer with this year’s special to mark Gandhi Jayanti.

More than a century- and-a-half after Gandhi’s birth, his ideas still find resonance in entrepreneurship rooted in Bharat. Startup founders are trying to solve knotty problems unique to India’s underserved populations, and they’re working in sectors as diverse as agritech, healthcare, fintech and environmental sustainability. These are startups with a social face and an ethos of scalability, which also pay attention to equality, inclusivity and dignity of labour.

Many of them reflect Gandhi’s views of business as a means to advance overall societal well-being, and that the purpose of a business is progress for all, not just profits for owners. This idea of responsible entrepreneurship is gaining ground globally as Gen Z increasingly expects businesses to act ethically and transparently. There is a growing sense that a profit-obsessed approach has led to inequality, concentration of wealth and climate change.

Mint Bharatpreneurs is an indicative, not exhaustive, list of startups aiming for a holistic approach to business with the kinds of innovations Mint believes Gandhi would have held dear.