Starting a business in India often feels like preparing for battle. From endless paperwork to unexpected rule changes, even the most resolute founders can find themselves overwhelmed. Despite dreams of innovation and scale, entrepreneurs frequently hit a wall of red tape — stacked with permits, approvals, and outdated systems.
In places beyond the metro cities, the struggle deepens with unreliable infrastructure, lack of funding, and burdensome compliance costs. For many, the path to enterprise isn’t just difficult it’s labyrinthine.
Highlighting these very hurdles, Nilesh Shah of Kotak Mutual Fund likened Indian entrepreneurs to “Kalyug ka Abhimanyu,” referencing the legendary warrior trapped in a deadly maze. Shah said, “Our entrepreneurs remain ‘Kalyug ka Abhimanyu’. In the Dvapara Yug, Abhimanyu went by choice to break the Chakravyuh. He was fighting against Kauravs. He was hopeful that Pandavs would come to support him. He couldn’t win against the combined might of the Kauravs.”
“The Kalyug ka Abhimanyu is in the Chakravyuh as soon as the entrepreneurship journey begins.The battle is not only with the Kauravs (like the business cycle) but also with the Pandavs (approvals and compliance). How will Abhimanyu win against the combined might of Kauravs and Pandavs?” he wrote.
Calling attention to the relentless strain on small businesses, Shah added, “The stories of tormented entrepreneurs can be made into many movies such as ‘Ek Doctor ki Maut’. Jan Vishwas Bill is a beginning, but the journey is long and challenging.”
Still, Shah struck a hopeful note: “I hope and pray that we will be able to end the ‘Inspector Raj’ and empower Abhimanyu to take on Kauravs. Let in the Kalyug’s Mahabharata Abhimanyu emerge winner.”
Shah’s comments were triggered by a viral story out of Pune, where a local flour mill owner framed and displayed all 16 approvals he had to secure just to start his small business. The image, shared by a chartered financial analyst who lives nearby, struck a chord with the entrepreneurial community online.
