The Department of Industry and Commerce, Kohima in Collaboration with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Ministries of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, hosted the “SRF 5.0 Knowledge Exchange Workshop” (Nagaland Edition) a two-day workshop commenced at Banquet Hall, Hotel Vivor, Kohima on 10th March 2025.
Director of DPIIT, Dr. Sumeet Jarangal, IAS stated that the Startup India initiative began on January 16th, 2016, and emphasized that the States’ Startup Ranking serves as a knowledge-sharing workshop to foster learning and collaboration.
Dr. Sumeet highlighted key schemes such as the Fund of Funds, Credit Guarantee Fund, and India Seed Fund Scheme, stressing the importance of such workshops in raising awareness about available startup support programs and the need for collective efforts to reach beneficiaries. He further noted that the focus is not just on startups but also on embracing new ideas and transforming mind sets.
Advisor for Industries & Commerce, Hekani Jakhalu, expressed her gratitude to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) team for choosing Nagaland as the venue for this important workshop and her appreciation to Secretary of DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Amardeep Singh Bhatia, for approving and supporting the initiative in Nagaland.
She highlighted that India currently ranks third globally in startups, attributing this achievement to the collective efforts of representatives from various states and union territories who have helped position India on the global map.
Speaking about Nagaland, she noted that the concept of entrepreneurship is relatively new in the state. In 2013, the Nagaland government launched a program aimed at changing young people’s mindsets and introducing them to entrepreneurship. To engage and inspire youths, she said innovative programs were introduced to help them view entrepreneurship not as a second choice but as a viable and promising career path.
Hekani expressed confidence that this workshop organized by DPIIT would encourage and motivate stakeholders to work towards improving their rankings. She emphasized that such programs facilitate knowledge exchange and experiential learning, which remain valuable throughout life and can lead to meaningful collaborations. She described the workshop as an opportunity for networking, fostering relationships, and strengthening bonds, noting that networking has played a key role in India’s current success.
She also highlighted that the program presents an opportunity for the entire North Eastern region to come together, learn from one another, and strengthen their collective growth. Hekani also extended her appreciation to Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Secretary of DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, for approving and supporting the initiative in Nagaland.
The workshop featured a presentation on The Journey of Nagaland’s Startup Ecosystem by Deputy Director of the Department of Industry & Commerce, Keneirienuo T. Zatsu. It also included a fireside chat on fuelling entrepreneurship across the state, led by Meraj Faheem, Chief Executive Officer, Innovation Cell (TGIC), Telangana, and Kamaljit Das, Joint Secretary of MSME, Odisha.
Additionally, the event hosted a knowledge-sharing session on States Startup Policies, focusing on Startup Nagaland, followed by a panel discussion on Digitization for Sustaining the Startup Ecosystem.
(Kazihito T. Kibami, IA)
