Assam entrepreneur Jahnabi Phookan named among global meaningful business 100 winners

Assam-based entrepreneur Jahnabi Phookan, founder of Lahé Looms, has been named among the winners of the 2026 Meaningful Business 100 (MB100), a global programme recognising leaders who combine business success with social and environmental impact.

The annual programme honours entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, sustainability advocates and impact investors who develop scalable solutions to complex challenges. This year's winners were selected by a panel of expert judges from more than 900 nominations, according to a press release issued on October 21.

The judging panel included experts from organisations such as the Gates Foundation, Google, IBM, Saïd Business School, Seedstars Capital and the World Economic Forum. Candidates were assessed across five key areas: equity, impact, innovation, leadership and scalability.

Congratulating Phookan, Meaningful Business founder and CEO Tom Lytton-Dickie said her work at Lahé Looms demonstrated how scalable business models and technology could generate tangible, positive change.

“This year's cohort is a powerful reminder of the progress that is being made around the world, and their success is critical to building a more sustainable future,” he said, welcoming Phookan to the global MB100 community.

Now in its eighth year, the MB100 programme connects selected leaders through a global peer network and provides capacity-building resources and pro bono support. Its collaborators include EY, Hogan Lovells, Cadwalader, Forster Communications, Northeastern University and The Portman Estate.

Phookan has more than three decades of experience in tourism and in showcasing Assam and Northeast India. Through Lahé Looms, she works to preserve Assam's handloom and sericulture heritage while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for women artisans.

The enterprise follows a farm-to-fashion model, spanning the sourcing of locally produced silk, support for weaving communities, and the design and sale of contemporary handwoven apparel and textiles rooted in Assamese craft traditions.

Beyond Lahé Looms, Phookan is co-founder and director of Jungle Travels India and Assam Bengal Navigation Company. She also served as national president of the FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) in 2020–21.

Her recognition places an Assam-based entrepreneur among an international cohort focused on using business as a means to advance sustainable and inclusive development.