The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Centre of Excellence for Employment and Livelihood (CII CEL), organised a special capacity-building workshop for micro entrepreneurs with disabilities in partnership with Cheshire Homes, Coimbatore, on 19 December 2025.
The workshop was designed to empower and guide entrepreneurs in the Coimbatore region and witnessed the participation of around 60 entrepreneurs, making it an impactful and focused learning platform.
Radhakrishnan, Immediate Past Chairman, CII Coimbatore Zone, and Managing Director of Sieger Spintech Equipment, delivered the special address, emphasising the critical role of marketing, sales strategies, and the effective use of digital platforms in expanding customer reach.
Raviselvan, CEO of Cheshire Homes, Coimbatore, highlighted the role of the CII Centre of Excellence in promoting inclusiveness and extending structured support to entrepreneurs with disabilities.
Danalakshmi, Chairperson of Cheshire Homes India – National Council, expressed her appreciation to CII, noting that the initiative stands as a testament to the collaborative spirit driving the shared goal of inclusive growth and enterprise development.
The workshop also served as a vibrant networking forum, enabling participants to exchange business experiences, discuss challenges, and explore future growth opportunities. Practical tools, training materials, and expert guidance formed the core of the sessions, ensuring meaningful learning outcomes.
To ensure full accessibility, sign language translators were provided for participating entrepreneurs. CII CEL has already successfully supported two batches of this specialised capacity-building programme in Chennai, benefiting nearly 100 entrepreneurs.
Special programme
This workshop is part of a special programme focused on empowering entrepreneurs with disabilities, launched by CII CEL in collaboration with the CII Foundation and IBDN, with the support of the NatWest Group.
The initiative aims to promote inclusive entrepreneurship by actively engaging with entrepreneurs with disabilities to understand their specific needs and challenges and to provide tailored support that enables them to sustain and scale their businesses.
About CII Centre of Excellence for Employment and Livelihood
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Centre of Excellence for Employment and Livelihood (CII CEL), headquartered in Madurai, has been instrumental in strengthening entrepreneurial capabilities by organising business excellence workshops across the country and in nine key districts of Tamil Nadu — Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, Salem, Tiruchirappalli, Karur, and Hosur.
Through its flagship initiative, Puthiya Puthiya Payanam, Valarchiyai Nokki, CII CEL continues to make significant strides in empowering micro entrepreneurs to grow and scale their businesses across Tamil Nadu and beyond.
Under this project, micro enterprises are provided with structured guidance, practical tools, and expert mentoring to enhance business sustainability, market reach, and operational efficiency.
The initiative has emerged as a vital platform for nurturing grassroots entrepreneurship and fostering local economic development.
