D. Sridhar Babu, Minister, graced the Graduation Ceremony of the first-ever cohort of the WE Enable Program, by WE Hub

Women were always problem solvers; now they are also innovators and leaders: D Sridhar Babu, Minister.
 
Hyderabad, November 29, 2025: WE Hub, India’s first state-led organisation for women entrepreneurs, celebrated a major milestone with the Graduation Ceremony of the first-ever cohort of the WE Enable Program, a flagship initiative designed to empower women students from across 21 government and private colleges in Telangana. A total of 600 young women graduated as the inaugural batch of WE Enable changemakers in a program held especially for the purpose on Sunday at Bhavanam Venkatram Auditorium, BRAOU Campus, in Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad
 
D. Sridhar Babu, Minister for IT, Industries & Commerce, Government of Telangana, was the Chief Guest. He congratulated the young graduates and highlighted the State’s commitment to nurturing women innovators and leaders. He also presented awards, meritorious certificates, and appreciation certificates to all those involved with the program.
 
Adding inspiration to the occasion were two distinguished female leaders: Priyanka Dutt, Film Producer & Entrepreneur; Jwala Gutta, Olympian & Founder of Jwala Gutta Academy of Excellence in Badminton.
 
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister, D. Sridhar Babu, said that women have always been problem solvers but are now also innovators and leaders.
 
“Today, let me begin with one word that describes every person sitting before me: WOMEN — not a label, not a slogan, but your story”, he said
 
Speaking about women's empowerment, the Minister said, “real empowerment does not begin with orders or announcements. It begins at home — when a father says go, I trust you; when a home stops asking when will you settle and starts asking what do you want to become?”
 
Speaking further D Sridhar Babu added that “WE Hub 1.0 proved women can start. WE Hub 2.0 will ensure women scale. Our goal is to make Telangana the easiest place in India for a woman to start, scale, and succeed.”
 
Giving advice to graduating girls the Minister said “You are not just finishing a course. You are stepping into Telangana’s growth journey. This government stands with you. This state believes in your potential.”
 
“Today, you don’t have to read reports to know that change is happening — you can see it on the streets of Telangana and across India. Between 2017-18 and 2023-24, female workforce participation nearly doubled from 22% to 40.3%, unemployment among women fell from 5.6% to 3.2%, rural female employment grew by 96% and urban by 43%, and self-employment among women rose from 51.9% to 67.4%. Telangana’s female labour force participation now stands at 52.7%, well above the national average of 45.2%, and in the industrial sector alone, which contributes ₹2.77 lakh crore to the state GSVA, women constitute 23% of the workforce.
 
“You are the proof that things are changing — at home, in minds, and in lives. You don’t have to wait for the world; the world is already moving because of you. And if someone ever asks, ‘Is anything really changing?’ don’t argue, don’t explain — just smile and say: Look at me.”
 
Sita Pallacholla, CEO, We Hub, in her opening remarks, said, “WE Enable is not just a program; it is a movement that proves what happens when young women are given the right exposure, the right skills, and the right belief. These 600 graduates are not stepping into the future — they are shaping it. At WE Hub, our commitment is clear: every young woman in Telangana should have the opportunity, the confidence, and the ecosystem she needs to rise.”
 
The WE Enable Program has already demonstrated remarkable impact across Telangana’s student ecosystem, Sita shared.
 
Over 7,500 students have been sensitised, while 600 young women from 21 partner colleges are actively engaged in structured learning, industry exposure, and entrepreneurial discovery. The program has inspired 125 students to pursue entrepreneurship through Wadhwani Ignite and empowered 30+ student leaders to run Social Innovation Clubs under TALYouth. With an impressive 18,900+ hours of mentoring and expert sessions, and 4,000+ hours of LinkedIn Learning courses completed, the initiative has built deep capability and confidence among participants. Further, students worked on 20 active industry projects, completed 100+ internships, and 580+ students gained real-world industry and ecosystem exposure—setting a strong foundation for innovation, employability, and leadership among the next generation of women changemakers. The event also showcased a series of student-led stalls, where students personally interacted with guests and dignitaries, highlighting their journeys at WE Hub and the impact the initiative had on their professional aspirations. A differently-abled student presented her concept for Ableverse, a digital platform where the differently abled can learn and earn at the same time. Another student shared how WE Hub enabled her to fulfil her dream of working with HCSC and contributing to a safer city.
 
The event also highlighted the ventures of established women entrepreneurs, including brands such as Cookie Monster and bwise 365, reflecting the spirit of WE Enable 2.0 and its mission to support women in scaling their enterprises.
 
Priyanka and Jwala were in conversation with Sita Pallacholla, CEO of We Hub. Each of them shared insights from their unique journeys, encouraging students to break barriers, embrace individuality, and lead with conviction.
 
Participating in the panel, Jwala said the best word that describes Jwala is ‘ziddi’ (stubbornness). “It is my habit. It worked for me. I don’t feel like changing. It is not a bad word. It is a good word.”
 
Speaking about trolls, she said they don’t matter because, “I faced many such things in real life before social media came.”
 
Priyanka added that, however qualified you may be, working under somebody for some time helps. “Experience is handier than just a qualification alone.” Both guests asked young girls to limit their exposure to social media.
 
Over the past six months, WE Enable has emerged as a transformative platform—taking students beyond classroom learning into real-world exposure. Through industry visits, mentorship programs, hands-on training, and problem-solving assignments, students gained critical skills to step confidently into the future as innovators, leaders, and entrepreneurs.
 
This impact was made possible through the support of WE Hub’s partners, including Micron, Microsoft, LinkedIn Learning, Novartis, Vivifi, Forge Alumnus, Nations Benefits, Wadhwani Foundation, Pifinity Education Foundation, and others who contributed by offering industry access, experiential learning, and mentorship opportunities.
 
The graduation marked the launch of applications for the next cohort of WE Enable, along with the unveiling of the program’s mobile app, expanding access for more young women across Telangana to join the movement.
 
A student-led panel featured seven participants from the We Enable Program.  They shared their journeys and transformative experiences.  One of the panellists said that she learnt to empower herself.  Another participant said being an imperfectionist is also a way out to the new journey. 
 
The event also showcased a series of student-led stalls, where students personally interacted with guests and dignitaries, highlighting their journeys at WE Hub and the impact the initiative had on their professional aspirations. A differently-abled student presented her concept for Ableverse, a digital platform where the differently abled can learn and earn at the same time. Another student shared how WE Hub enabled her to fulfil her dream of working with HCSC and contributing to a safer city.

The event also highlighted the ventures of established women entrepreneurs, including brands such as Cookie Monster and bwise 365, reflecting the spirit of WE Enable 2.0 and its mission to support women in scaling their enterprises.