This paper discusses the socio-demographic attributes of women entrepreneurs; factors influencing the motivation of women to become entrepreneurs; and selection of enterprises in industry, service and business. The proposition, accelerating the pace of women entrepreneurship, is essential for broad-basing entrepreneurship in various sectors of the economy. For facilitating this, it is important to understand the prerequisites and guidelines for developing entrepreneurial qualities among women. The evidence from empirical studies presented in this article can serve as the basis for formulating strategies for the future, and for supporting women entrepreneurship in a sustained manner.

The year 2000 was declared as the Women Empowerment Year and the National Policy for Empowerment of Women was formally announced in 2001. The definition of a women entrepreneur-promoted enterprise announced in 1978 was modified in the Small and Tiny Enterprises Policy of 1991. Woman entrepreneur is a person who has shown enterprise, with an eye for opportunity, willingness to take risks, a commercial acumen, and through her enterprising skills and innovativeness can generate employment for others, can create wealth and who has set a new trend in the country in the efforts directed at entrepreneurship development in varied walks of life, particularly in industry, service and business (Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector).

This paper on women entrepreneurship covers recent developments in the country and the role of governments at the Center and the State to act as catalysts, with a wide support system to encourage women entrepreneurs individually, and through associations. The paper consists of two parts: (1) initiatives taken by the governments at national and state level, and the role of women-specific associations, and (2) analysis of three main aspects of women entrepreneurship based on the findings of five empirical studies carried out in Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra and Northwestern India.