Morung Express News
Kohima | September 8
Around 130 people participated at the Run, Raise, Respond North East Half Marathon in Kohima on September 8 with Abhijit Sinha, IAS, Home Commissioner as the chief guest.
The Marathon is organised by Henley Venture Group Pvt. Ltd in collaboration with the Government of Nagaland, through the Department of Information Technology and Communications.
The winners of the Marathon in the male category were Thongdi Chang (Nagaland Police), Chikong Chang (Nagaland Police) and Mangrien Wanslop (Assam Rifles). In the female category, Wecheteu bagged the first followed by Vikuosanuo Sophie and Danielle S. Jamir.
“The North East is a significant territory for the whole of India. If you are not careful in the next three years, when the borders become more peaceful the big brands from metro cities will come and take away all the opportunities. They conquered the metros so we’re next,” said Nigel Eastwood, the brainchild behind the marathon.
The main objective behind the marathon is to promote and inspire young people to pursue entrepreneurship. “If you think about doing business, ‘Now’ couldn’t be a better time! The first step is the hardest. When you get going, you gain momentum once you start it. Do not let someone come in and take away the opportunity. Now is the time for you to act. Do not let, in the next three or four years, someone come in and take the opportunity away from you,” affirmed Eastwod.
While encouraging the young Nagas to pursue new ideas and innovations to earn livelihood through entrepreneurship, Chief Guest Abhijit Sinha also pointed out the problems among the Naga society in its inability to progress further. Its high times somebody sees the area from a different aspect and angle, asserted Sinha regretting that despite the many opportunities available, the young in Naga society are not able to look at it as opportunities.
“In spite of so many decades passing, the kind of tourism that we should see here has not happened because maybe, we have not thought it that way,” said Sinha adding that Tourism is always a part of service industry, that angle has not been captured well in Nagaland. According to Singa, the landscape in Nagaland is such that big industry will not be able to establish but that should not stop the Nagas from limitations. IT sector, BPOs, Service industry has great scope and needs to be promoted. Depending on government may not be the correct approach, viewed Sinha which has hampered, in some way, the thinking of Naga society and restricting it from progressing further.
“So I hope this run, ignites the passion to become entrepreneurs and gain support,” concluded Sinha.
