Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma and others during the launching of the North-East Connect Association (NECA) at the closing ceremony of the Telangana North East Connect 2025 festival held at Raj Bhavan Telangana.
HYDERABAD, NOVEMBER 28 (MExN): Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma on Thursday launched the North-East Connect Association (NECA) at the closing ceremony of the Telangana North East Connect 2025 festival held at Raj Bhavan Telangana.
The techno-cultural festival, initiated by the Governor and supported by the Telangana government, is the first of its kind in the country and saw the signing of several MoUs between entrepreneurs and institutions from the Northeast and Telangana, officials said.
NECA, a newly formed civil society platform, seeks to bring together diverse Northeast communities living in Telangana to promote collaborative engagement and address shared concerns. The association aims to serve as a catalyst for the Northeast Indian community in the state and act as a bridge between the community, the Telangana government and civil society, a Raj Bhavan release said.
Highlighting the significance of the initiative, the Governor said the launch of NECA marked “a significant step in continuing efforts to integrate these communities while reflecting the spirit of unity and diversity that defines the nation.”
NECA president Paparao Biyyala and vice-president Gautam Sawang said the platform would help strengthen the relationship between the people of Telangana and the Northeast Indian community.
The founding members of the association include individuals from public service, health, law, academia, sports and entrepreneurship, with long-standing connections to the Northeast.
They include Paparao Biyyala – former IAS officer and policy advisor to the Telangana government, who also served as Home Secretary, Assam; D. Gautam Sawang – Former IPS officer and retired Director General of Police, Andhra Pradesh; born in Assam with roots in Arunachal Pradesh; Dr S. Sahariah – Padma Shri awardee and noted transplant surgeon from Assam; Founder Director, KIMS; Prof Ajailiu Niumai – Professor of Sociology, University of Hyderabad, and noted scholar on Northeast India; Stephen Sen – Hyderabad-based lawyer with deep legal and social engagement with Northeast communities; Dr K. Rajeswara Rao – IAS officer (Tripura cadre, 1988 batch) with extensive administrative experience in the Northeast; Sridhar Muppidi – Entrepreneur and technology leader with professional and family links to the region.
