Management guru and trade advisor Jagat Shah, who has become synonymous with his not-for-profit concept “Mentor-on-Road”, will embark on an ambitious, 15,400-km-long journey by road in the USA from June 4 to interact with the American SMEs, startups, women-owned businesses, empowerment institutions and the Indian Diaspora and connect them with their Indian counterparts for mutual benefit.

During his 78-day-long journey across 32 cities of 24 states, in two legs—which will conclude on September 17, 2017—he will also meet heads of over a dozen American MNCs, Shah told reporters here on Thursday.

Replying to a question, he said he was inspired to evolve this concept when the then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, during a tour of China a few years ago, suggested that he combine his passion for long-distance journeys by road with interaction with SMEs and startups to understand their problems and suggest steps for solution.

During the journey, Shah, Chief Mentor, Mentor-on-Road, will also interact with World Bank officials, US and UN women, and 66 chambers of commerce and organizations. Besides, he will visit places of tourist interest along the way at the invitation of US Government.

Mentor-on-Road/India was incepted in 2015 when Shah embarked upon a 9,400-km-long industry education tour of India across 35 cities in 22 states, primarily Tier II and III cities so as to better understand the challenges of doing business faced by startups and enterprises of various scales. “We interacted with 6,000-plus SMEs and startups, identified 49 policy issues that hurt entrepreneurs. On our recommendations, the Government of India eased norms on 30 issues,” he said.

His ongoing Mentor-on-Road journey in Sri Lanka, that started on May 17, is taking his associates to 30 cities across a 1,400-km-route around the island nation.

Mentor-on-Road/USA is being supported by the US Commercial Services (USCS), US Department of Commerce, Start-up India under the Union Ministry of Commerce, and US-India Importers’ Council (USIIC). He will start his journey at Boston on June 4 and conclude at New York on September 17.

Shah said he will also sign an MoU tomorrow (Friday) with the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group to undertake a similar Mentor-on-Road journey across Africa next year. The 21,000-km-long journey by road will take him to 40 cities across 16 countries in 110 days from April 11, 2018, he added. The ongoing 52nd Annual Meeting of AfDB will conclude at Gandhinagar on Friday.

Greg Taevs, Principal Commercial Officer at the US Consulate in Mumbai, said the Mentor-on-Road aimed at boosting trade between India and the US. Shah will be travelling around America presenting to eager small and medium US enterprises about the opportunities of the Indian market, he added.

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