Ricky Das
Modern College
Ritesh Agarwal the self-made billionaire of India the founder and CEO of OYO Hotels and Homes says that “Entrepreneurship is not always about finding the right idea as much as it’s about identifying the right problem and working towards creating solutions”.
In modern times, entrepreneurship is all about transforming the world by solving big problems like bringing an innovation, a product that challenges the status of how we live our lives on a daily basis.
Avenues means to make way/paving way but don’t be frazzled when I say the word Naga because I might not be a Naga by Birth but I am a Naga by Choice.
Nagaland is predominantly an agrarian economy with 71% of its population dependent on agriculture, however not forgetting that it is also endowed with minerals like coal, limestone, nickel, natural gas etc. In recent years, the discovery of platinum and predications of gold have also been made which requires highly skilled workforce, tech and a huge amount of capital .But in the recently due to the changes in policies and advancement of technology various opportunities have come to surface which if embraced with the right mindset an capital can make Nagaland emerge as the economic hub in the region.
In order to provide so to say boost the era of entrepreneurship the state have taken steps by providing platforms where the youth of Nagaland can bring forth their ideas and put their dreams into actions:
Firstly, the Nagaland Startup Policy (2019-2023)
This policy aims to promote the local entrepreneurs of the state to provide them with an environment where the startup can grow with increasing knowledge exchange, capacity building, policy intervention and access to funding.(The Dept. of industries and the state government)
Secondly, The Idea of M.I.N (Made in Nagaland) by YouthNet:
Launched by YouthNet with an aim to provide exposure and a centralized platform for local entrepreneurs to promote their products and services inside and outside the state. It hosts around 120 local entrepreneurs.
Thirdly, Women Entrepreneur Network Nagaland (WENN) is launched by GIZ India’s Project Her & Now with an aim to create more enabling environment for women led business.
Other platforms are like the “Yellow Chain”, by the Chief Minister of Nagaland for retailers and entrepreneurs who want to expand their scope of business through technology and internet. Many others like the Startup Village Entrepreneurship Program (SVEP) which was launched in November 2015 and the NABARD (National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development.
And a lot of others aim to provide help in terms of knowledge or aid to the state entrepreneurs the list can go on but it all comes down to the choice of the Young Nagas as we all are aware that just dreams and thoughts will lead oneself nowhere.
It is said that there are no perfect opportunities. We make the opportunities perfect and this is clearly seen from the success stories of our own Naga entrepreneurs like Ruovilhoukho Chuzho, Richard Belho, Heroko Yepthomi, Karen Yepthomi, Ringo Odyuo, Rozelle Mero and a lot more who started from a humble beginning but today they have achieved milestones and have set examples for all.
Entrepreneurship in Nagaland has a lot to be explored. If sectors like fruits, vegetables, spices, medicinal plants and the kind is tapped it can sustain the state as well as create employment.
The handloom and woodworks avenue in the state is flourishing due the presence of raw materials. However, the absence of skilled labours and attitude of the people towards these sectors has resulted in the slow growth. The art of pottery, cultural items, practice of animal husbandry and not forgetting tribal delicacies and cuisines and a lot more can be explored widely which can create more opportunities to sustain livelihood.
In modern times the advancement of technology has brought numerous opportunities like online sales and purchase.
The ideas can go on. However, it all comes down to single thought which talks about the choices. The choice to work beyond or be complacent about it.
Rewarding career, company control, pride and satisfaction, legacy, leadership, experience, network building and opportunities for all not forgetting the role of entrepreneurs in Nation Building.
The Unemployment rate in the State stands at 55.2% as against the national rate which is 12.9%. The Morung Express published a survey which states that nearly 1/3 educated individual is unemployed and this is a big concern and the main reason why we need entrepreneurs in Nagaland is because govt. jobs and private sectors cannot sustain the economy. We must understand that the youth population in the state must become an asset than liability.
Bill Gates said “dream big and keep dreaming”. But the problem is that the majority of the youth in the state are yet to be sufficiently skilled and a drive towards entrepreneurship is found to be wanting.
I would like to end by saying that if we don’t work hard enough to achieve our dreams, someone else will hire us to achieve theirs.
This speech was adjudged the third position of the ‘Kohima Youth Talk’ organised by Don Bosco College Kohima (DBCK) during its 4th Inter Collegiate Competition on September 3.
