The Amara Raja Group, a $2 billion global conglomerate, announced the fourth edition of The Amara Raja Better Way Awards, its annual initiative recognising rural and women entrepreneurs who are creating employment, generating income and driving innovation across India’s villages and small towns.
Barely 14% of India’s MSMEs have access to formal credit, according to a 2026 Deloitte report, while business loans accounted for just 3% of all loans taken by women as of 2024. Women-owned enterprises in rural India employ between 22 and 27 million people, highlighting both the scale of their contribution and the need for greater access to capital, mentorship, markets and recognition. The Amara Raja Better Way Awards seek to bring greater visibility to entrepreneurs who are creating meaningful economic and social impact at the grassroots level.
For Edition 4, Amara Raja has introduced a new category, ‘Changemaker of Tomorrow’, recognising graduate and postgraduate students who develop innovative ideas, solutions or business models that create meaningful and scalable pathways for rural development and upliftment.
Instituted in 2023, the awards recognise enterprises and emerging entrepreneurs across four categories. Each winner will receive a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh, along with a year of structured mentoring covering key areas such as finance, HR, marketing, IT and supply chain.
The four award categories are:
- Amara Raja Better Way Award for Women Employment
- Amara Raja Better Way Award for Rural Income Generation
- Amara Raja Better Way Award for Best Agri-Based Business
- Amara Raja Better Way Award for Changemaker of Tomorrow
For the third consecutive year, Small Enterprise India, India’s established MSME knowledge and outreach platform, is the Outreach and Validation Partner for the Amara Raja Better Way Awards. Through its extensive engagement with micro, small and rural enterprises, Small Enterprise India has been instrumental in taking the awards to entrepreneurs beyond the conventional urban business ecosystem and helping identify enterprises with strong grassroots impact.
Over the last three editions, the collaboration has helped the awards build increasing awareness and acceptance among rural entrepreneurs across India. Year on year, the Amara Raja Better Way Awards have seen considerable growth in reach, participation and recognition within the rural entrepreneurial ecosystem. As the fourth edition opens, Small Enterprise India looks forward to reaching entrepreneurs from more states and regions, encouraging nominations from diverse sectors and communities across the country.
The Amara Raja Better Way Awards have steadily evolved into an important platform for recognising and celebrating the entrepreneurial potential emerging from rural India. As the Outreach and Validation Partner for the third consecutive year, Small Enterprise India has witnessed first-hand the year-on-year growth in the reach, participation and acceptance of the awards among rural entrepreneurs. This year’s focus is towards taking the initiative even further across the country, encouraging more entrepreneurs from different states, sectors and communities to come forward and showcase their work, impact and aspirations.
Across the last three editions, the awards have recognised nine entrepreneurs and enterprises nationally, including Thanima Products and Marketing (Kerala), Siyanjali Retails (Himachal Pradesh), Farm2Fam (Maharashtra), Resham Sutra (Ranchi), Bhaumya Innovations (Telangana), Shreeja Mahila Milk Producer Company (Tirupati), Anuttama Products Private Limited (Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka), Ilaagri Services Private Limited, and Ayurarogya Saukhyam Foundation.
With the addition of the Changemaker of Tomorrow category, the fourth edition also seeks to create a bridge between India’s emerging student innovators and the rural economy, encouraging young minds to develop solutions that can address real challenges faced by rural communities and enterprises.
Selection Process
Entries will be assessed by an independent panel of experts based on parameters including social and community impact, contribution to local employment, business potential, innovation and the ability to create sustainable value within rural communities.
Entrepreneurs, enterprises and eligible student innovators can submit their nominations through amararaja.com/better-way-awards. The deadline for submissions is November 11, 2026.
The awards are intended not only to recognise existing achievements but also to provide winners with the knowledge, mentorship and support required to strengthen and scale their enterprises.
Founded by Dr Ramachandra N Galla in 1985, with its first manufacturing facility established in the remote village of Karakambadi near Tirupati, the Amara Raja Group has grown into a leading conglomerate with revenues exceeding $2 billion. The Group’s businesses span Automotive, EV and Industrial Batteries, Infrastructure, Electronics, Auto Components and Food Processing. Amara Raja exports to over 70 countries and has more than 21,000 employees. The Group’s journey from a manufacturing facility established in a remote village to a global enterprise also reflects its longstanding connection with entrepreneurship, employment generation and economic development beyond India’s major urban centres.
For nominations and further details: amararaja.com/better-way-awards
