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Assam’s startup imperative
Assam’s entrepreneurial future will not be built by slogans; it will be forged by ideas that receive the oxygen of capital, mentorship and markets. A recent IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IMCIP) study of 116 Assam-based startups offers encouragement and a cautionary tale. The report reveals 52.6 per cent of surveyed startups have women founders, indicating remarkable gender participation in the state's burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem. Yet the ecosystem faces formidable impediments. About 67.9 per cent identify inadequate access to institutional funding as a major challenge, while 60.8 per cent cite deficient business knowledge. Limited awareness of the startup ecosystem and inadequate technological know-how are significant bottlenecks.
These findings should prompt policymakers to move beyond sporadic schemes and build a durable entrepreneurial architecture. Startups cannot thrive merely on enthusiasm; they need dependable funding channels, investor networks, incubation, specialised research infrastructure and stronger market linkages. Mentorship programmes should be scaled up, especially for first-generation entrepreneurs who may struggle to navigate the labyrinth of finance, compliance and marketing.
Assam must also leverage its indigenous strengths. If entrepreneurs connect with modern markets and expertise, handloom, handicrafts, agriculture, food processing, tourism, and technology can serve as springboards for innovation. Women founders, in particular, deserve sustained support so that their participation translates into enterprise creation. The report has made the situation clear. Decisive follow-through is now essential. If Assam can turn its entrepreneurial potential into scalable enterprises, jobs and innovation, the state will not merely catch up—it will carve out its own niche in India’s startup landscape.
Dipen Gogoi,
Teok, Jorhat
Let’s use paper bags
A paper bag may seem small, but not for the students who can start right now a bigger conversation, aiming to reduce pollution caused by single-use plastic bags. Every school across the state should take the initiative and organise awareness programmes every weekend about the harmful effects of plastic. At least ten students from classes VIII to X should visit nearby shops to distribute paper bags prepared during their SUPW periods. They should interact with shopkeepers, explain the environmental impact of using plastic bags and encourage them to adopt paper and other eco-friendly alternatives. Students should be encouraged to transform old newspapers, magazines, and scrap paper into durable carry bags that are cost-effective. It is the right time for the students to come forward to connect classroom learning with real-life environmental concerns. Rather than limiting the message to posters or presentations, they must carry their handmade paper bags and encourage people to reconsider using plastic. Such projects will definitely inspire students and others to be more responsible towards the environment and spread awareness. Let's ensure that the message for vendors reaches every corner of the state.
Iqbal Saikia,
Guwahati
Sports unite
It makes people like us disturbed seeing the differentiation between the North Indians and South Indians and also calling the people of the northeastern region Mongoloids, Chinese and what not very often due to the nefarious designs of our politicians citing language, culture, etc. It sometimes makes me think about whether our nation is not divided into North India and South India, with different constitutions and other frameworks for two separate nations. I curse myself. When I happen to watch India playing any sport, be it cricket, hockey, kabaddi, squash or any other game, particularly against their sworn rival on TV, the crowds' support for India univocally with thunderous roars proves me wrong for once and all, and immediately I once again start feeling like a strong, proud Indian. Indeed, sports unite our nation, and politicians and a few hyper-regional leaders with ulterior motives try to divide us zonally and destabilise the nation.
Dr. Ashim Chowdhury,
Guwahati