Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, SEP 8 (NPN): Nagaland governor Nand Kishore Yadav has urged the state’s youth to look beyond government employment and explore career and entrepreneurship opportunities in hospitality and tourism, stressing that skilled professions in the sector offered equal dignity and employment opportunities within and beyond the country.
Addressing students and faculty during his visit to the State Institute of Hotel Management (SIHM), here on Tuesday, Yadav said there was “equal dignity” in becoming a skilled chef, hotel manager, baker, entrepreneur, event professional or tourism specialist.
He said Nagaland had a natural advantage in tourism through its landscapes, biodiversity, traditions, cuisine, music, festivals and cultural heritage. However, natural and cultural attractions alone could not make a successful destination. “Visitors remember how they were welcomed, the food they experienced, the cleanliness of the place, the quality of service and the warmth of the people they met,” he said.
Yadav said SIHM had an important role in preparing professionally trained youth with technical knowledge, discipline, communication skills, courtesy and a spirit of service. He encouraged students to consider entrepreneurship and become job creators through restaurants, boutique hotels, cafés, catering, homestays and tourism ventures.
He also stressed combining modern professionalism with Nagaland’s cultural identity, saying indigenous ingredients, traditional food, handicrafts, music and community traditions could offer unique visitor experiences.
The governor urged SIHM to strengthen industry links, internships, professional certifications, entrepreneurship programmes and placements. He highlighted homestays, village, eco-, culinary, cultural and adventure tourism as potential livelihood avenues in rural areas.
Addressing six students whose education was sponsored by Lok Bhavan, Kohima, Yadav said financial circumstances should not become a barrier to their potential and urged them to help others in future.
Meanwhile, SIHM CEO Ashok Sethi said the institute was established under a public-private partnership by Saksham Education Foundation, with state Tourism department support and under the Ministry of Tourism.
Sethi said SIHM began operations in February 2023 after an abandoned COVID-19 centre was converted into the institute within 15 months. Its “Hunar Se Rojgar Tak” programme has trained around 526 underprivileged youth, with placements for over 85% of deserving students.
The institute has grown from 31 students in 2023-24 to 160 in 2026-27 and works with over 90 schools. More than 70% of its 43-member staff are Naga employees, while around 30% of students are Naga girls.
Earlier, the programme was chaired by Nobono and Temsulong, welcome address delivered by principal, SIHM, Deepala Srivastava, and vote of thanks proposed by Naro.