10th North East Business Summit

East West Interconnect

EWI Development Initiative Foundation

Bridging The Gap

I was first officially introduced to the North East Region at the 2nd North East Business Summit conducted at the Ashok Hotel in New Delhi, by the Indian Chamber of Commerce, Kolkata, back in January 2004. This is when I realised that there was a clear knowledge and understanding gap of North East India by the rest of India. Simply put, a young student in Meghalaya or Manipur clearly knew where Maharashtra was, while a young counter part in Maharashtra may not have a clear idea where Meghalaya or Manipur were.

I attended such seminars year after year in my home city of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati and even in Bangkok - Thailand. These events discussed and pondered over the lack of development in the North East Region and what could be done to cause progress.

In May 2010 my family and I made our first trip to the North East. We visited Guwahati, Kaziranga, Itanagar / Naharlagun, Bomdila, Nameri, Shillong and Cherrapunji. Covering 3 states at the time was an eye opener to the varied cultures between the states as also between various people and tribes.

Thereafter, I have been visiting the North East Region a few times every year and have now been to 5 of the 8 states. I have yet to visit Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.

Hence I may safely claim to be a student of the North East Region. As a Business Counsellor, Strategy Consultant & Entrepreneurship Mentor focused on India Centric Globalization Strategies, over the years it is evident to me, in my humble view, that the North East Region and its people, my fellow Indians, will see meaningful development only when social and commercial entrepreneurship spreads in the North East Region. Team Leaders and Project Managers who can shoulder the responsibility of capital, land, human resources & suitable technology to make the region productive and inclusively share the wealth so created. A socially responsible capitalism approach. An approach which will cause the eco-friendly option to business expansion into and through North East India, for the rest of the country and global interests in India. To meaningfully bridge the divide between North East India and the Western Region. To ensure that North East Indians are not marginalised as the North East India Region develops in future.

The platform created by me includes East West Interconnect. This is an initiative comprising of Advanced Strategies Pvt. Ltd., a company for commercial entrepreneurship development and another, EWI Development Initiative Foundation, as a Section 25, Not-For-Profit Company, for social entrepreneurship development. We are actively engaging with the Western Region as partners to involve themselves in North East India expansion of their activities. We now need an active engagement with persons from the North East Region, to accelerate progress. For the youth from the North East residing, studying or working in Mumbai and Pune we have a Youth Program, to help bridge the gap and cause a meaningful East West Interconnect. This is explained at a web link http://bit.ly/ewif_youth1 and an online participation form is available too.

Rural Sectors - Farming – small holdings and self help groups (Agricultural & Farming Enterprises & Food Processing - Agro - bamboo, agriculture, horticulture, sericulture, Animal husbandry -pigs & cattle, Poultry, Fish farming, Apiaries); Primary Health Centres; Agro Tourism; Primary Education; Water & Waste Management; Social Entrepreneurship Development; Handicrafts & handloom; Micro Enterprise Development & Skills Development for all this

Urban Sectors - Hospitality & Tourism– Restaurants, Catering & Canteens, Resorts & SPAs, 3/4 star hotels, Music; Healthcare, Sports facilities & recreation and Education; Low cost computing / IT – suitable for small enterprises; Water & Waste Management & Commercial Entrepreneurship Development

This year, on 13th and 14th of March, 2015, the 10th North East Business Summit will be held at the Ashok in New Delhi once again. I hope to have progressive interactions with Government Agencies relevant to the North East and other formidable personalities from the North East. The Youth Initiatives of the various North East State Student bodies in Pune and Mumbai as our own at East West Interconnect would have been highlighted and resource assistance requested from the Centre and States, so that the efforts may be expanded and accelerated.

My efforts are only with the hope that the North East produces stalwart entrepreneurs to make the region productive and inclusively share the wealth so created. A socially responsible capitalism approach.

Rajiv Bhatia

Business Counsellor, Strategy Consultant & Entrepreneurship Mentor

Director - EWI Development Initiative Foundation

Mumbai & Pune

info@eastwestinterconnect.org.in

022-22672561