In August 2023, the chair of the Pune-based Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DICCI), reflected on the organization’s 20-year journey to empower Dalits through entrepreneurship, independence, confidence, and job creation. Despite DICCI’s efforts, societal challenges and fears of disclosing Dalit identity persisted. As the chair considered ways to boost membership and retain existing members, he wondered whether emphasizing collective identity and solidarity could further empower Dalit entrepreneurs. Could celebrating successful Dalit role models, establishing mentoring programs, or prioritizing skill development further uplift the community?

The case is about Dhriiti–The Courage Within (Dhriiti), a non-governmental organization founded in 2004 in Assam, India, to help rural communities in northeastern India generate income by producing areca tableware. In 2009, Dhriiti established the for-profit social enterprise Tamul Plates Marketing Private Limited (Tamul) to manage the entire value chain of the tableware. As Tamul expanded, it decentralized its production model to better promote rural entrepreneurs and to supplement its existing centralized factory-based production unit. However, women’s participation in these decentralized units remained low. In response, Dhriiti established Project Pragati, which successfully empowered 29 rural women entrepreneurs and inspired many more. The case highlights the dilemma of the co-founders in December 2022. They can expand the capacity of Tamul’s existing centralized production unit to grow the enterprise, which will generate more direct employment for local women. Alternatively, they can invest in more decentralized production units to establish a longer-term, more empowering model of promoting rural entrepreneurs, which will both engage women and transform them into change agents in their communities.