Itanagar: Arunachalee entrepreneur Tage Rita Takhe has been nominated for the prestigious 2022 Fortune–U.S. Department of State Global Women’s Mentoring Partnership, a mentoring programme that will take place in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States of America, from May 8-28.
An agri-entrepreneur and the founder-director of Naara Aaba Kiwi Winery in Arunachal Pradesh (the first winery to launch organic kiwi wine from India), Tage would be taking part in the mentoring partnership along with 14 other emerging women leaders from across the globe.
The US Consulate at Kolkata had earlier nominated Rita’s name as one of the mentees for the prestigious event.
A native of Ziro in Arunachal’s Lower Subansiri district, Tage, an Academy of Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) 2020 alumna, was awarded the prestigious Nari Shakti Puraskar by the President of India earlier this year for her outstanding work in promoting local products and women entrepreneurship.
She was also awarded the United Nations Women Transforming India Award in 2018.
Besides Tage, two more entrepreneurs from India – Neha Mehta, founder and CEO of FemTech Partners, and Amrita Gupta, director, Confederation of Indian Industry – have been nominated by the US Embassy and Consulates in India to take part in the three-week programme.
The Fortune–U.S. Department of State Global Women’s Mentoring Partnership is a public-private partnership between Fortune Most Powerful Women, the U.S. Department of State, and Vital Voices Global Partnership.
The programme draws on the expertise of America’s most accomplished leaders to enhance the business and leadership skills of international women professionals.
During the programme, the mentees from across the globe engage in skills training, panel discussions and networking events and also undergo a mentorship programme with senior women leaders in government, business, academia, civil society and the media.
Participants are then paired with one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Leaders like Goldman Sachs, Aetna and Johnson & Johnson in cities across the United States.
Tage’s mentor for the programme is Jessica Spence, the president of brands at Beam Suntory, an American-founded, Japanese multinational company that produces alcoholic beverages.
Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu has congratulated Tage for being nominated for the prestigious programme.
“Sweet success! Congrats Tage Rita, founder of @Naara_aaba, on being nominated for US Dept of State Global Women’s Mentoring Partnership. Rita has done exemplary work of promoting wine made out of exotic fruits of Arunachal Pradesh & creating sustainable livelihood for locals,” the chief minister said in a tweet. (With inputs from Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S.)
Speaking to EastMojo, Tage said she would give her best to make the most of the opportunity provided to her.
“I am very excited and looking forward to learning a lot from my mentor Jessica. We have already been communicating with each other since the past two weeks. I would also like to thank the US Consulate General office, Kolkata, and its public affairs team for the nominations, thereby expressing their confidence and trust upon my endeavors,” she said.
Tage would be leaving for Washington, D.C. on May 8.
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