Our Correspondent
Kohima | October 21
Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from Bangalore, Rajeev Chandrashekar on Saturday advocated that a vibrantly progressive North East is important for a strong India. Dwelling on “Building up North East is crucial to strengthening India,” at the Eclectic Young Leaders Connect 2 organized by Youthnet in collaboration with Government of Nagaland, he said that for many decades, development of many parts of India like the northeast have been viewed through a narrow geo-political prism.
“I have never subscribed to this whole approach of development being remotely planned in some office in Delhi, many miles away from dreams and aspirations of the people who seek to progress,” he said.
Chandrashekar, who is also a well known businessman, pointed out that the economic and cultural future of India would be incomplete without the energy, creativity of the many hundreds of thousands North East Indians and the potential that this region represents both economically and culturally.
“The India narrative would be incomplete if it didn’t have Baichung Bhutia, Mary Kom, Alobo Naga, Soulmate, Atsu Sekhose, Norden Wangdi, Chekrowolu Swuro and countless others from the past, today and in the future,” he said while adding that the Northeast represents many opportunities but the biggest one is its young people and their creativity and talent. “The future is about thousands of entrepreneurs determining the destiny of this region, he said.
This new direction, according to him, requires change in the mindset and roles of both the governmental leadership and in the youth as well. He also felt that governments must morph its role to being strong, credible enablers of dreams - put entrepreneurship at core of its economic strategy, provide the social and physical infrastructure for entrepreneurship to bloom and flourish.
The MP stated that the governments need to diversify their revenue sources and use local entrepreneurship and consumption as means of generating more revenue. “In the near term, the economic relationship between Delhi and the States is going to change. The inevitable GST and higher shares by states will mean limited headroom for central grants”.
He also stated that the governments of the region must work together to attract the interest of investors in India and abroad. “The first ones off the block will be at an advantage and the latecomers to this party will be left as observers”.
The MP said that to get the attention of investors, some heavy lifting work is clearly cut out for governments of the region including in improving connectivity. “Connectivity both physical and Internet are lifelines for any region that wants to grow. River, air, road and Internet infrastructure must expand even if states have to invest or backstop these investments. It’s unacceptable that it takes someone a full day to travel from Mumbai, Delhi or Bangalore to Kohima when it takes 3-4 hrs to any capital of SE Asia!” he said.
Stating that the young north easterner in turn must become more confident, he said “As my favourite blues singer from the North East Tipriti of band Soulmate says “north eastern people are very shy. They have the talent but they don’t show it.” “They can and must build national brands and franchises in technology, music, sport, fashion, hospitality, entertainment, food etc. A vision and plan for 100,000 entrepreneurs to be helped over the next decade - will transform the lives and economy forever of this region.”
Chandrasekhar said that he had done some small things like encouraging companies and brands where we invest to have a north eastern connection. Some have been successful and some have tried and failed. One of the companies where I am an investor has financed and brought several musicians on credible visible platforms and is now preparing to build musicians and fashion designers from NE into financially successful brands, he said.
As an MP representing Bangalore, he said that he made himself available to address small and big issues faced by the NE community there and elsewhere. “I am prepared to do more and am open to funding an early stage venture capital fund for next year working with organizations like Youthnet to identify entrepreneurs with promise,” he added.
The MP felt that the NE must catch this inevitable cycle of entrepreneurship. He said 15-16 years ago when he first started off, the names in business were traditional names like Birlas, Tatas, Goenkas, Modis etc. Today the successful stories are Cognizant, Airtel, Good Earth, Pantaloons, Cafe Coffee day, Wipro, Zee, Star, UTV, - names and founders that didn’t exist a decade or so ago. In the next decade, there will be many new names, new winners. Let’s make sure many among them are from the North east who will grow and succeed not just by doing the right thing but also doing it the right way!
“Therein lies the future of a confident NE, a future of a strong India!” the MP said.
