Students-turned-entrepreneurs: Young Goans choose independent paths to employment

Panaji: Brushing aside the conventional mindset of many Goans to get employed in a govt department or move out of India to secure their future, 30 Goan students took on a challenge and became entrepreneurs while studying.

Malissa D’Souza is a 19-year-old resident of Mapa-Panchwadi, a remote Ponda village. The BSc student is a young entrepreneur who does not have any family background in business.

“Alongside my studies, I’ve started a small business built around my passion for crochet and art,” said the student of Ravi Naik College of Arts and Science, Farmagudi. “My journey began in 2023, inspired by a simple reel of crocheted tulip flowers. While social media is often seen as a distraction for today’s youth, for me, it introduced a whole new world—crochet. As a naturally artistic child, I thought, why not take this up as a hobby?” D’Souza told TOI.

D’Souza said she has earned around Rs 1000 so far, and while it’s a humble beginning, it means a lot. “In July 2025, I officially launched my business by posting my first reel. I now create and sell a variety of handmade crochet products, including flowers, amigurumis (stuffed toys), keychains, and other custom items. This business is my step toward financial independence and a way to support my parents—as an only child, I feel a deep responsibility to contribute.”

Converge-Shiksha-Udyojak Sangam, the flagship industry–academia partnership programme organised by the directorate of higher education (DHE) and the Goa State Higher Education Council (GSHEC).

It is a platform to bridge the chasm between academic learning and industrial demand. It has rapidly evolved into a crucible of ideas, collaboration, and opportunity for students to become entrepreneurs.

“We stand out as a torchbearer of innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurial dynamism. Through a series of visionary initiatives, DHE has not only empowered students with the courage to innovate but has also equipped faculty with the skills to mentor the entrepreneurs of tomorrow,” DHS director Bhushan Savaikar told TOI.

Expanding its reach to 37 colleges, the programme delivered over 400 sessions, reaching more than 15,000 students across the state. With its guiding vision to skill-up, scale-up, and succeed, the initiative is preparing Goa’s youth to embrace the future with skill, creativity, and confidence, said DHS programme director Niyan Marchon.

Arshiya Khan Inamdar, a student of TYBA in political science at the Dhempe College of Arts and Science, Miramar, grew up watching her father repair televisions, a job that, while skillful, wasn’t particularly profitable. At the age of nine, she started a mobile shop.

“To support our family, my father worked part-time as an auto rickshaw driver. Around that time, I developed a fascination for mobile phone posters and advertisements. One day, I suggested to my father that he should try his luck in the mobile phone and accessories business,” she said. “Unlike many parents who might dismiss a child’s idea, my father not only listened but wholeheartedly supported me. He invested in the idea, and I took a keen interest in making it work. By the age of 11, I discovered a natural talent for sales. I could confidently engage with customers, handle crowds, and close sales successfully.”

“Slowly but steadily, our small business began to grow. We soon became the only mobile shop in our area, and our customers didn’t just buy from us; they became like family. Of course, it wasn’t always easy. Even as a young girl, I learned to resolve misunderstandings and challenges that come with running a business,” she said.

Students of Padre Conceicao College of Engineering, Verna, Sohan Takkekar and Anish Naik, CEO and CSO respectively of Bilton Marketing, founded in 2025, are transforming local businesses through digital brilliance and with a vision to redefine how local enterprises engage with their audiences online.





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