TN launches Nimirnthu Nil to nurture 10,000 student entrepreneurs in five years

chennai: the entrepreneurship development and innovation institute-an arm of the state msme department-ran an innovation fair and awards ceremony at anna university, recognising student-led initiatives from across chennai.minister t. m. anbarasan presented rs 31 lakh worth of prizes to winning entries from 50 schools, showcasing innovations such as a robotic road roller, multipurpose agricultural equipment, ship‑worker safety belts, and grain‑harvest implements.at the event, anbarasan officially launched the “nimirnthu nil”, a state‑level initiative aimed at nurturing 10,000 student entrepreneurs from higher‑education institutions over the next five years. the scheme, with an outlay of rs 19.57 crore, also includes selling products online of those trained under its entrepreneurship arm.inaddition, the state has earmarked rs 2 crore to train around 9,000 individuals in tier‑2 and tier‑3 cities across 16 entrepreneurship, e‑commerce, and artificial intelligence courses.the minister highlighted the crucial role of innovation in global competitiveness, recounting that the institute—launched in 2001—has been instrumental in training students at the district level, and recalled chief minister m.k. stalin's introduction of the 'school innovation development programme', designed to promote academic and creative excellence.also present at the gathering were department secretary atul anand, edii director ambalavanan, and other senior officials.