Chennai, Feb 17:

As New Delhi prepares to host the 18th BRICS Summit later this year, the spotlight is shifting to a new demographic of global leadership: young women entrepreneurs. Speaking at a special address to students at the Justice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed (SIET) College for Women, R. Muthu Kumar, President of BRICS Generation, called on the youth of Chennai to step up to the "high table of global governance."

Addressing a gathering of future entrepreneurs and tech leaders, Muthu Kumar outlined Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for the upcoming summit, which proposes redefining the bloc not merely as a group of nations, but as a mission for "Building Resilience and Innovation for Cooperation and Sustainability."

The "Changemaker" Paradigm

The core of Muthu Kumar’s address focused on the summit’s "Changemaker" theme, which marks a significant departure from traditional development narratives.

"Women are no longer viewed merely as beneficiaries of aid, but as changemakers driving economic resilience," Muthu Kumar stated. He emphasized that the 2026 agenda moves the conversation beyond basic rights to active economic leadership, citing successful Indian frameworks like the Mudra Yojana and the MSME sector as models for the bloc.

"The message is clear: the global economy needs women to move from seeking jobs to creating them," he added.

Tackling the Digital Frontier

Highlighting the challenges of the modern economy, the BRICS Generation President addressed the critical issue of digital governance. Referencing recent discussions from the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance in Brasilia, he noted that the bloc is prioritizing the eradication of "digital misogyny" to ensure online spaces are safe for women-led innovation.

"For the digital-native generation in Tamil Nadu, this is a validation of their lived reality," Muthu Kumar said. "True empowerment cannot happen if online spaces—where business and innovation increasingly occur—are unsafe."

A Dual Engine for Growth

In a comparative analysis for students, Muthu Kumar distinguished between the United Nations and the BRICS approaches to gender equality. While the UN focuses heavily on universal human rights and political participation, he explained that BRICS emphasizes "national economic policies and context-specific solutions."

"For a young woman in India, this dual support system is vital. The UN provides the moral framework for rights, while BRICS provides the economic roadmap for prosperity," he noted.

Call to Action for Chennai

Concluding his address, Muthu Kumar described the "Humanity First" theme proposed by India as an invitation for Chennai’s youth to act as both economic drivers and cultural ambassadors. With the summit scheduled for late 2026, he urged the students to take advantage of new financial corridors opening up for startups.

"The BRICS agenda is betting on women to be the engines of this new growth," Muthu Kumar told the assembly. "The question is: are you ready to lead?"