India, 28 September 2026: What if an old pair of jeans could stay out of a landfill—and help a woman earn a livelihood?

That is the idea driving 21-year-old Maharashtra innovator Yogeeta Kishore, who has spent the past year-and-a-half working to turn denim waste into opportunity.

Her initiative, Indiejeanous, transforms discarded denim and textile scraps into lifestyle products while creating livelihood opportunities for women artisans. Now selected among the Top 20 teams of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 2026, Yogeeta is working to develop a prototype and explore how her community-led idea can grow into a scalable venture.

For Yogeeta, the selection has marked a turning point.

“I am grateful to be a part of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow. Getting reviews and feedback has been amazing, and it feels like a great platform for young changemakers,” she said.

From Upcycling Waste to Building a Viable Solution

Before joining the programme’s bootcamp, Yogeeta’s approach was largely focused on giving discarded textiles a second life. Interactions with mentors, experts and fellow innovators encouraged her to examine the entire journey of textile waste—and think more closely about the people who would ultimately use or benefit from her solution.

“There is a huge difference in my idea. Earlier, we were only focused on upcycling, but now we are looking more deeply at how that waste can be utilised. We have also started prototyping,” Yogeeta said.

The experience helped her recognise that a meaningful idea must work not only environmentally, but also for its customers and the community it seeks to support.

“You have to understand the customer and make sure the solution genuinely addresses the community’s needs,” she added.

Presenting Indiejeanous before a jury and discussing it with young innovators from across India also expanded Yogeeta’s sense of what the initiative could become.

“When I presented my idea and shared it with my peers, I realised that I was not just solving a problem within my own community,” she said. 

Finding the Confidence to Think Bigger

The most important change, however, has been personal.

Yogeeta says that building an idea largely by herself often left her questioning whether it could create real impact. At Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, she found a community of young people navigating similar challenges.

“When I talk to my peers, I feel that I am doing something real. I feel inspired and confident. Earlier, I was not so confident,” she said.

That sense of belonging has been particularly meaningful for Yogeeta, who says she did not always find the support she needed during the early stages of her journey.

“Having people around me who understand my idea feels empowering,” she said.

With access to mentorship, constructive feedback and potential grant support, Yogeeta is now refining the Indiejeanous model, developing its prototype and examining how it can generate measurable environmental and social impact.

What began with discarded denim in one community is steadily becoming something larger: a circular-economy idea capable of reducing textile waste, supporting women artisans and demonstrating how young innovators can turn overlooked problems into new possibilities.

At 21, Yogeeta may still be at the beginning of that journey. But she no longer feels that she has to build alone.

Bengaluru, October 1, 2025: BHIM Payments App, India’s very own homegrown payment platform from NPCI BHIM Services Limited (NBSL), is bringing a touch of goodness to this festive season with the second edition of its annual campaign ‘Meethi Diwali’. This year, BHIM Payments App is inviting its users to turn their day-to-day payments into a gesture of empowerment and participate in this nation wise movement. Between October 1^st and 31^st, for every user who completes ten or more transactions on the BHIM Payments App, a portion of the proceeds will be contributed to support women-led artisan businesses across India in collaboration with Aspire For Her, a community-driven organisation focused on increasing women’s workforce participation.

Diwali is a time to share joy and prosperity, and Meethi Diwali transforms that spirit into action. By simply paying with BHIM Payments App, users become a part of a collective effort to uplift women entrepreneurs and local artisans, helping them grow their craft and create brighter futures. The campaign celebrates BHIM as Bharat ka Apna Payments App, a secure and trusted digital companion built for every Indian household. It aims to remind users that even the smallest action such as making a payment, can spark real impact and bring sweetness into someone else’s Diwali. This campaign serves multiple purposes by empowering women, supporting Indian artisans and their homegrown products, and encouraging the use of Bharat’s own payments app.

Commenting on the initiative, Lalitha Nataraj, MD and CEO, NBSL said “Diwali is a time when families celebrate and share joy, and with Meethi Diwali we aim to add purpose to that spirit each year. By choosing to pay with BHIM Payments App, users are not only enjoying a simple, secure payment experience but also helping women artisans and entrepreneurs translate their skills into sustainable livelihoods. For us, this campaign is about showing how everyday digital payments can spark real economic opportunity and keep the festive spirit rooted in empowerment and inclusion.”

Link to Campaign Film: https://youtu.be/82ZmW2su8TA

Madhura DasGupta Sinha, Founder & CEO, Aspire For Her, said “Aspire For Her is proud to light up the festive season with a unique opportunity – the Meethi Diwali campaign by our partner BHIM Payments App. This initiative empowers artisan EntrepreNaaris to earn, grow and shine brighter than ever before, building the women’s economy in India, from the grassroots.”

Conceptualised by the creative agency, So Cheers, Meethi Diwali comes alive through a vibrant short film that blends festive warmth with purpose. It encourages every BHIM user to embrace the season with generosity, adding a touch of goodness to their transactions and making this Diwali truly meethi.

“When we came up with the idea of #MeethiDiwali2025, we wanted to highlight BHIM’s inherent values of trust, security, and reliability and how technology can actually empower lives in a meaningful way. The idea was to turn everyday transactions to something greater and purposeful. We are proud to be a part of this campaign, bringing forward the real stories of women artisans and helping every BHIM user feel a part of something greater than convenience; where simple payments carry both meaning and a sense of shared prosperity.” said, Mehul Gupta Co-founder and CEO at SoCheers.

“At IPG Mediabrands, we are proud to partner with NPCI’s BHIM Payments App for the ‘Meethi Diwali’ campaign. This initiative not only strengthens BHIM’s role as a trusted digital payments brand but also reflects its commitment to a larger cause, empowering women artisans through Aspire Her. Together, we are creating a campaign that blends festive spirit with meaningful impact.” added, Ashwini Kamat, Sr Vice President, Mediabrands.