Putting dark militancy days behind, Assam youths take start-up route to build business ecosystem

Guwahati: Born and brought up in Baska and Dibrugarh---once two major hotbed of militancy in Assam--Kirat Brahma and Manas Bhuyan witnessed businesses being destroyed by frequent violence and constant fear of attacks. Like many educated youths, the duo had witnessed hundreds moving out in search of jobs and source of livelihoods.

"Firing and abduction around tea estates was frequent then," Bhuyan, a young electronics and telecom engineer-turned entrepreneur in eastern Assam's Dibrugarh, told DH as he catered to numerous guests visiting his stall of Lemon Story, the start-up he and Chanchal Rajkonwar, a civil engineer, founded in 2021.

Lemon Story produces bottled juices of Assam lemon, a GI-tagged crop, grown abundantly in and around Kakopathar, a small town that bore severe brunt of Ulfa militancy. "We are getting good response both from clients and the prospective customers. They are liking the unique flavour and taste of Assam Lemon," said Bhuyan. The start-up is gearing up to launch three varieties of bottled juices soon.

Kirat, on the other hand, founded Zankla Studio, a start-up to produce soft toys based on folktales chronicling the Bodo tribe, in 2022. The start-up is situated at Simla in Baksa, a district in Bodoland region in western Assam, that was also a centre of insurgency led by many Bodo youths.

"There was no atmosphere for doing businesses then," said Kirat, who graduated from the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad and now employs 18 full-time persons while his venture helps around 300 weavers and artisans.

"Our toys are meant not just for fun. Toys with propose is our slogan. For example, our artisans are making toys of Sikhna Jwhwlao and Gwnbari Sikla, two legendary Bodo warriors, who had fought against the British. Our purpose is to spread their story of valour and contributions of the Bodos in our freedom movement. Similarly, we are selling soft toys of wildlife species like one horned rhinos, hoolok gibbon, golden langurs, pygmy hogs and white wood duck. Our purpose is to spread knowledge about Bodoland's rich biodiversity and the conservation threats these wildlife species faces," Kirat said. "Our artisans are using the hand made clothes and other materials prepared by the Bodo weavers." Some people at Simla, who had gone out in search of jobs in Gujarat have now come back an joined the venture," he said.

Bodoland took a major step towards peace in December 2020 when all insurgent groups signed the new Bodoland Accord and joined the mainstream. Similar accords were signed with pro-talks group of Ulfa and several other insurgent groups resulting in significant reduction in violence.

With insurgency gradually becoming a problem of the past in most parts of Assam, young boys and girls are taking the route of start-ups in order to develop business ecosystem, create jobs and thereby prevent the youths from falling prey again to militancy.

From fruit wine ventures, to textiles, ventures to promote organic tea and local agri-horticulture products to pays-app in local languages, many are gradually eyeing big leap in businesses in Assam. Aziz Ali of Joypur in Dibrugarh, also Assam's tea hub, have started Hookolupay, a local fintech firm, a few months ago. "Our app is in local languages like Assamese, Mizo, Naga and others. Our target is to provide a digital payment platform for low income customers in every nook and corner of the Northeast, where banking service was poor a few years ago. With banks now expanding very fast, there is an opportunity for a local fintech firm," Ali, the founder of Hookolupay, told DH on Wednesday. Anandh Kannan, the co-founder of the firm, who hails from Chennai said, "We are also in talks with the government agencies to meet the unique local business needs."

The local firms put up stalls in the Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment and Infrastructure Summit organised by Assam government in Guwahati on February 25 and 26.

Aditi Gohain Phukan, who worked as dietician for 22 years before starting Aiseng Winery in 2020, is ready with collection of wines made from locally grown star fruits, local pomelo, rosella and banana. "We are joining hands with four villages in Dhemaji and near Guwahati to procure the local fruits and involve them in production of wine," said Aditi.

P Uday Praveen, secretary of Assam industry department, told DH that more than 1,450 start-ups have been registered in Assam in the past few years and 400 are being incubated. "A few of them are doing very well."