FICCI FLO Vibrant Verve Season 4 empowers women entrepreneurs in Jammu
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
FICCI FLO's Vibrant Verve Season 4, a premier luxury lifestyle and entrepreneurship exhibition, was held in Jammu on 22 August 2025, drawing together women entrepreneurs, artisans, designers, and self-help groups from across the country. The event, organised by the Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh (JKL) chapter of FICCI FLO in collaboration with Luxuries of Kashmir, featured curated displays of contemporary and traditional fashion, fine jewellery, art, gourmet delicacies, home decor, gifting solutions, and wellness products.
What the Exhibition Offered
Now in its fourth consecutive season, Vibrant Verve is built around FICCI FLO's core motto — 'The Power to Empower' — and functions as a structured marketplace and networking platform for women-led businesses. Participants ranged from established multi-generational enterprises to Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) members and startups.
Notably, the event has been approved under the MSME Procurement and Marketing Support (PMS) Scheme, enabling Udyam-registered enterprises and women-led small businesses to claim reimbursement on eligible stall charges. This measure is designed to lower the financial barrier for smaller players and widen access to the exhibition.
What Officials Said
Guest of Honour Shiney Sharma of North Command, Udhampur, representing AWWA, emphasised that empowerment extends beyond income. 'When we talk about empowerment, it not only brings in money but also personality growth. Our Army wives are already empowered. So this initiative not only brings money to them but also confidence. During Operation Sindoor too, our Army wives were standing strong. Hence, we would do everything to upskill them and enhance their personalities,' Sharma said.
Chief Guest Bablia Karwal, Commissioner, Science, Technology and Engineering, described FICCI FLO as a flagship initiative for regional folk artists and women entrepreneurs. 'When a woman uplifts other women, the entire community gets benefitted,' Karwal noted.
ADC Jammu Anuysa Jamwal welcomed the platform's dual purpose — enabling both commerce and conversation around entrepreneurship. 'They are not only giving a platform to sell stuff but also to showcase and discuss such initiatives. This will empower women and also give them an opportunity to learn,' Jamwal said.
Voices from the Floor
FICCI FLO Chairperson Varsha Bansal highlighted the breadth of participation, noting stalls from artisans based in Jaipur, Amazon Sahelis, and NABARD. She also pointed to the Rakhi season as a timely backdrop for the exhibition. Chief Guest Kuwarni Ritu Singh, representing Jammu and Kashmir's royal legacy, praised the event's inclusive character — spanning established brands, self-help groups, AWWA units, and startups.
Drishti Khurana of Khurana Jewellery House, a Punjab-based family business now in its fourth generation, spoke about trust as the cornerstone of the jewellery trade. An AWWA member highlighted the broader significance of the event coinciding with Raksha Bandhan, noting that handmade rakhis crafted by women artisans could be sent to soldiers deployed at the borders.
Why It Matters
Vibrant Verve occupies a specific niche: it combines luxury retail with grassroots entrepreneurship, giving regional artisans the kind of market visibility typically reserved for metropolitan exhibitions. The MSME PMS Scheme integration signals a shift toward policy-backed inclusion rather than purely private patronage. This is the fourth edition, suggesting sustained institutional momentum rather than a one-off event. With participation from organisations such as NABARD and Amazon Sahelis alongside independent artisans, the exhibition is increasingly functioning as a cross-sector supply-chain connector for women-led micro and small enterprises in the Jammu and Kashmir region.
The next steps for FICCI FLO's JKL chapter are expected to focus on expanding the MSME reimbursement framework and scaling participation ahead of Season 5.