Jahnabi Phookan, an Assam-based entrepreneur and founder of Lahé Looms, has been named among the winners of the 2026 Meaningful Business 100 (MB100). 

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• The global programme recognises leaders who combine business success with positive social and environmental impact.
• The winners were selected by an expert panel from more than 900 nominations, highlighting the growing importance of businesses that create economic value while addressing social challenges.

What Is the Meaningful Business 100?

The Meaningful Business 100 is an annual global recognition programme that celebrates entrepreneurs, business leaders, sustainability advocates and impact investors working towards a more inclusive and sustainable world.

Candidates are assessed across five key areas:

• Equity: Whether their work creates fairer opportunities for different sections of society.
• Impact: Whether their initiatives produce meaningful social or environmental benefits.
• Innovation: Whether they develop new approaches to solving existing problems.
• Leadership: Whether they inspire people and organisations to pursue positive change.
• Scalability: Whether their business models can expand their impact to reach more people.

The programme also connects selected leaders through a global peer network and provides capacity-building resources and professional support.

Lahé Looms: Preserving Assam’s Handloom Heritage

Through Lahé Looms, Phookan works to preserve Assam’s traditional handloom and sericulture heritage while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for women artisans.

The enterprise follows a farm-to-fashion model, connecting the production of silk with weaving, textile design and the sale of contemporary handwoven products.

• Supporting local artisans: The enterprise works with weaving communities to sustain traditional skills and create livelihood opportunities.
• Promoting Assamese silk: It connects locally produced silk and traditional craftsmanship with contemporary apparel and textile markets.
• Encouraging women’s economic empowerment: Market access and income-generating opportunities can strengthen women’s financial independence.
• Combining tradition with innovation: Contemporary designs and business practices help traditional textiles reach new customers without losing their cultural identity.

Phookan also has more than three decades of experience in tourism and promoting Assam and Northeast India. She is a co-founder and director of Jungle Travels India and Assam Bengal Navigation Company, and served as national president of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry Ladies Organisation in 2020–21.

Significance for Assam and India

This recognition highlights how traditional industries can contribute to inclusive growth when connected with modern business models and wider markets.

• Women-led development: Supporting women artisans can improve household incomes and strengthen their role in economic decision-making.
• Cultural preservation: Handloom enterprises help sustain indigenous knowledge, traditional designs and weaving skills.
• Sustainable livelihoods: Locally rooted enterprises can generate employment while supporting traditional production systems.
• Entrepreneurship in the Northeast: Successful businesses can encourage young people to explore enterprise creation based on regional skills, resources and cultural strengths.

The broader approach complements the objectives of the National Handloom Development Programme, which supports handloom weavers through interventions related to skills, design, marketing and access to markets.

Exam Hook: Key Takeaway

Jahnabi Phookan’s recognition demonstrates how entrepreneurship can preserve cultural heritage, empower women artisans and create sustainable livelihoods while connecting traditional industries with global markets.

One-line Wrap: Lahé Looms illustrates how Assam’s traditional craftsmanship can become a source of cultural pride, economic opportunity and sustainable development.