State award for Meghalaya’s Queency Thangkhiew
SHILLONG: The 2nd “Vasundhara– NE Woman Entrepreneur of the Year” (2013-14) award instituted by Sreemanta Sankar Mission of Guwahati was conferred to Moirengthem Muktamani Devi of Manipur at IIM Shillong on Saturday.
The Chief General Manager, FMOD, Reserve Bank of India, Mumbai, M. Rajeshwar Rao conferred the award during a glittering function organized for the ongoing annual management conclave of the IIM called EmergE 2015.
Kaushik Sinha, DGM &CDO, State Bank of India, NE Region, Guwahati, Amarnath, GM, RBI, Patricia Mukhim, Editor, The Shillong Times, Jemino Mawthoh, Nongthymmai MLA, M. Pariat, Managing Director, Meghalaya Handloom & Handicrafts Development Corporation, Dr. Sanjib Kakoty, Professor, IIM, Shillong and Chairperson EmergE 2015, Dr. Khagendra Narayan Baruah, ex-principal, Guwahati Medical College & Hospital and Chief Advisor, Sreemanta Sankar Mission of Guwahati and several other distinguished guests who were present during the programme gave away the awards to eight state winners from Northeast.
Queency Thangkhiew from Meghalaya was conferred the state award on the occasion. Other recipients of the State Award included Lata Lepcha from Sikkim, Toko Likha Yaram from Arunachal Pradesh, T. Jemima Achumi from Nagaland, Moirengthem Muktamani Devi from Manipur (also the title winner), Lalhimpuii Hmar (Lapuii) from Mizoram, Sukla Rani Debbarma from Tripura and Kanta Dey from Assam.
The state winners were awarded with cash award of Rs. 10,000/-, trophy, plaque, citation and an Eri shawl each.
It may be mentioned that all these women have displayed rare sense of entrepreneurship and uniqueness in idea and vision.
Moirengthem Muktamani Devi, the title winner, who is into the business of manufacturing woolen knitted shoes and exports her products to UK, Australia and Korea besides supplying regularly to defense forces, was given cash award of Rs. 25,000/- along with winner’s trophy among others.
Before giving away the awards, Manjit Kr. Sarma, member, Sreemanta Sankar Mission, Guwahati explained the concept, objective and vision of the Vasundhara award which seeks to create a regional platform for women entrepreneurs of NE India and link them with different government and corporate agencies to fulfill their requirements for funds, technical and technological knowhow, marketing and other such factors.
“All though there are several central as well as state government agencies working in the field of enterprise and business and operating in the region, benefits of government schemes and initiatives are yet to percolate down to the women entrepreneurs working in nooks and corners of the region. Wherever the government fails, the non-government organizations should step in to ensure that nobody if left deprived and less empowered,” he said while delivering the inaugural address in the function.
Professor Sanjib Kakoty of IIM, Shillong said, “It is the society which decides the course of any institution being the stakeholders but if institutions remain confined only to themselves and cut off from the society then stakeholders are not benefitted”.
“The IIM, Shillong since its inception in 2008 has been trying to connect with the society and collaborating with Vasundhara is just one step in that direction,” said Professor Kakoty in his address.
Yangchen Doma Lepcha and R. K. Ongbi Purnima Devi, both state winners of the previous edition of the award who were specially invited to the programme spoke on the occasion and shared their experience about the boost they received after winning the awards the previous year.