Dimapur, Dec 31 (MExN): Another Naga artisan brings to the fore skills of Naga craftsmen as well as laurels to the people of the state in the form of Alemba Longkumer who recently received Citigroup’s Micro Entrepreneur Award 2006 from Union Minister for Commerce Jairam Ramesh at New Delhi December 20.
Alemba Longkumer, Proprietor of M/s Country Craft, located at 7th Mile Dimapur, Nagaland is a young innovative artisan and a member-artisan of Indian Institute of Entrepreneurships (IIEs) Cane & Bamboo Cluster in Dimapur, Nagaland.
Longkumer designed some innovative products like waist belts and neckties from cane, bamboo and wood. This exceptionally talented artisan is also one of the major exporters of bamboo items from Nagaland. As recognition to his efforts in the field of micro-enterprise, Citigroup recently awarded him Citigroup Micro Entrepreneur Award 2006 under national winners in the category of ‘social responsibility’. The artisan was adjudged the winner from the East and North East region. Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh gave the award away in a glittering ceremony at Hotel Taj in New Delhi on December 20, 2006. This annual award given by Citigroup is limited only to exceptional small entrepreneurs from across the country.
The role of Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) in development of the region was also recognized by Citigroup with a certificate of appreciation. IIE has been working tirelessly for entrepreneurship development, enterprise and SME development in the region. In the recent times more efforts have gone into developing clusters of traditional industries in the eastern as well as North Eastern region. Presently IIE is implementing a cane and bamboo cluster, Dimapur since 2005 for development of cane and bamboo handicraft products of Nagaland and a handloom cluster in Imphal, Manipur, as well.
On the cluster front, IIE is also functioning as Technical Agency (TA) under the Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI) from the Ministry of ARI where a total of hundred clusters of traditional industries have to be developed across India.
