Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, NOV 13 (NPN): Nagaland governor Nand Kishore Yadav has called for creating an enabling environment where Nagaland’s youth could become job creators rather than job seekers, stressing the need for entrepreneurial skills, mentorship, technology, funding and market access.
He was speaking at the launch of various technology startups and digital initiatives at the NITI Incubation Centre, Marwari Patti here on Friday under Startup Nagaland, Department of Industries and Commerce.
The programme was attended by advisor to the chief minister Abu Metha and 6 Sector Assam Rifles DIG Brigadier Mayank Singh Jamwal as guests of honour.
Yadav said Nagaland’s young population had significant potential, but realising it required collaboration among the government, educational institutions, private organisations and entrepreneurs. He encouraged the incubation centre to identify and nurture local talent and help turn ideas into viable enterprises.
The governor also urged young people to develop indigenous products, innovations and businesses capable of competing at the national level, rather than depending solely on technology developed elsewhere.
The governor commended NITI Dimapur for its contribution to skill development and employment generation over the past 26 years.
Established in 2000 under the NIIT banner, the institution has trained more than 40,000 Naga youth, with at least 50% of its workforce comprising locals.
He acknowledged NITI’s expansion into software development through NITI Technologies, which has developed digital solutions such as the Hornbill Festival app, NBSE Connect and the NTIAET portal. He also appreciated NITI Academy’s efforts to make quality competitive education accessible and affordable.
Yadav expressed satisfaction over the establishment of the NITI Incubation Centre under Startup Nagaland in collaboration with the Department of Industries and Commerce. He said the centre was supporting several technology-driven startups, with three selected for funding support of Rs. 25 lakh under STPI OctaNE, supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
Describing the launch of the centre’s digital application, integrated with artificial intelligence and deep technology, as an important step towards a fully digital incubation ecosystem, he said it would make incubation services more accessible and efficient for emerging entrepreneurs.
The products launched included the E-K Chalan app, designed to organise Nagaland’s food and beverage industry through workforce registration, employment history and dispute redressal; HNK Services, which enables petrol pump owners to monitor daily operations; and BLIPP, a digital queue management and advance booking platform aimed at reducing waiting time at local service establishments.
In his address, Abu Metha acknowledged NITI and its proprietors for their contribution to computer education and skill development over the past 26 years. He said the institution had shaped and empowered more than 40,000 students from Nagaland and beyond.
Metha highlighted Dimapur’s role as a centre of economic growth and acknowledged the contributions of business communities from different parts of the country.
He said technology had become an integral part of everyday life and urged young people to embrace it to improve their knowledge, skills and opportunities. He observed that major innovations need not emerge only from metropolitan cities or global technology hubs, but could also come from Nagaland through solutions to everyday challenges.
Metha encouraged startups to use artificial intelligence for research and knowledge enhancement while retaining human creativity and innovation. He said technology had removed geographical barriers and urged young entrepreneurs and students to think big, use digital platforms and contribute to Nagaland’s development and India’s growth.
Earlier, speaking on behalf of NITI, Ajay Sethi thanked the governor, Metha, Brigadier Mayank Singh Jamwal and other dignitaries for their guidance and support.
Reflecting on the institution’s 26-year journey, Sethi recalled the challenges of introducing computer education in Nagaland and thanked students, alumni, staff, partner schools and well-wishers for contributing to its growth.
He said NITI had consistently endeavoured to maintain 50% local representation in its workforce and expressed hope that more Naga students would pursue advanced technical careers, including at premier institutions such as the IITs.
Sethi also expressed the vision of developing NITI into a recognised brand across the Northeast and taking Nagaland’s name to the national level through education, technology and innovation.