- Minister Babu Leads Women Empowerment Milestone
- 600 graduates mark first cohort of Telangana’s key initiative.
Hyderabad: D. Sridhar Babu, Minister, graced the Graduation Ceremony of the first-ever cohort of the WE Enable Program, by WE Hub. 600 young women from 21 colleges graduated as the inaugural batch of WE Enable changemakers. The event took place on Sunday at Bhavanam Venkatram Auditorium, BRAOU Campus, in Jubilee Hills.
The Minister for IT, Industries & Commerce served as Chief Guest. He congratulated the young graduates. He also presented awards, meritorious certificates, and appreciation certificates. Ms Priyanka Dutt, Film Producer & Entrepreneur, and Ms Jwala Gutta, Olympian & Founder of Jwala Gutta Academy of Excellence in Badminton, added inspiration.
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. However, 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.” Therefore, he noted key changes: 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%. 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.”
WE Enable Program Impact and Highlights
Sita Pallacholla, CEO, We Hub, said in her opening remarks, “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.” Meanwhile, the program has sensitised over 7,500 students. Also, 600 young women from 21 partner colleges engaged in structured learning, industry exposure, and entrepreneurial discovery.
The initiative inspired 125 students to pursue entrepreneurship through Wadhwani Ignite. It empowered 30+ student leaders to run Social Innovation Clubs under TALYouth. Participants completed 18,900+ hours of mentoring and expert sessions, plus 4,000+ hours of LinkedIn Learning courses. Further, students worked on 20 active industry projects, completed 100+ internships, and 580+ students gained real-world exposure.
The event showcased student-led stalls. Students interacted with guests and dignitaries. 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. Then, the event highlighted ventures like Cookie Monster and bwise 365.
Priyanka and Jwala conversed with Sita Pallacholla. 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.
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. Later, the graduation marked the launch of applications for the next cohort of WE Enable. It also unveiled the program’s mobile app. Partners like Micron, Microsoft, LinkedIn Learning, Novartis, Vivifi, Forge Alumnus, Nations Benefits, Wadhwani Foundation, and Pifinity Education Foundation supported the impact.
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