Sitharman inaugurates AI & Skills Centre at Nagaland Tool Room & Training Centre Dimapur

Union finance and corporate affairs minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday inaugurated the AI & Future Skills Centre of Excellence at the Nagaland Tool Room & Training Centre (NTTC) in Dimapur, describing it as a milestone in attracting sustained CSR-backed skilling investments to the State.
Sitharaman said the initiative marked a turning point, recalling that until a few years ago, many companies claimed they found little scope for CSR engagement in Nagaland—an issue raised both by civil society and the chief minister. Following the 2022 CSR conclave, however, corporate institutions began recognising the need to invest in targeted, skill-based interventions for the youth, leading to a steady inflow of CSR funds into the State. These contributions, she said, were no longer mere donations but tailored projects designed to address emerging skill needs.
The minister highlighted two major CSR-driven skill institutions now operating in Nagaland: one in Kohima, supported by the Tata Group through NIELIT, focusing on semiconductor and electronics skilling; and another in Dimapur, where CYIENT Foundation has partnered with NTTC to train youth in artificial intelligence, robotics, 3D design and technology-enabled manufacturing.
She said the Dimapur project was finalised only weeks earlier after she personally requested CYIENT founder Dr. B.V.R. Mohan Reddy to consider expanding his initiatives to Nagaland. Despite being based entirely in Hyderabad, Reddy agreed immediately, a gesture Sitharaman said reflected a genuine commitment to empowering youth across India.
Emphasising the rapid shift from traditional manufacturing to AI-driven production systems, Sitharaman warned that youth from smaller states risked being excluded from the global skill landscape. While AI may evolve, she said its transformative impact on all productive activities made it essential for young people in Nagaland to become active participants in technological progress rather than bystanders.
Sitharaman also noted the creativity of Naga artisans, saying the new Centre would help merge traditional craftsmanship with modern design and production tools.
With AI-assisted design and advanced fabrication technologies, she said, Naga textiles, woodwork and craft designs could be scaled and marketed more competitively. She expressed hope that the Centre of Excellence would emerge as a model for the entire Northeast.
SIDBI Deputy Managing Director Sudatta Mandal, in a brief address, said the newly launched Centre was established with a grant of Rs 62 lakh from SIDBI, with technical support from CYIENT. The Centre will initially offer training in two trades—handloom and handicraft, and software coding and robotics—aiming to train 100 to 150 youth annually in each field. Mandal said handloom and handicraft remained vital to Nagaland’s economy, and the AI Centre, equipped with two classrooms at NTTC, would provide learners with AI-based design tools, coding and robotics training, and technical knowledge to enhance fabric innovation, productivity and market value.
CYIENT founder chairman, Dr. B.V.R. Mohan Reddy, said technology was evolving faster than ever before, making it essential for young people to understand and adapt to emerging fields like artificial intelligence.
He stressed that the future would belong to those who mastered such technologies and affirmed CYIENT Foundation’s commitment to ensuring technology served social good.
Earlier, the programme was chaired by Industries & Commerce secretary Kumar Ramnikant, with a welcome address by advisor Hekani Jakhalu and a vote of thanks by Industries & Commerce director and NTTC CEO T. Tokugha Sema. The event also featured MoU exchanges between SIDBI and three Nagaland-based industry bodies.