Rural M’laya proves start-ups not only for urban elites
By Desree B. Warjri
SHILLONG, May 6: Rural Meghalaya is quietly undergoing a transformation, not one driven by factories or flashy infrastructure but by the hands of its own people. Through PRIME Rural, a state-backed initiative, the entrepreneurs from some of the rural villages are gaining the support and platforms they need to thrive not just locally but also nationally.
At the centre of this effort is Minha Riyaz Khan, Project Lead for PRIME Rural, who, along with her team, has built a programme that redefines rural incubation. What they’re doing is far more than just training, it’s full-spectrum support delivered directly at the doorsteps of rural entrepreneurs. PRIME Rural is also actively working to break the outdated notion that startups are only for urban elites. Despite being backed by the government, none of the products incubated by PRIME carry government branding. Each product belongs to the entrepreneur. “We want to break the glass ceiling that says startups only exist in urban centres,” Khan explains. “These are the real startups.”
As the programme moves forward, it’s scaling up with technology. A custom CRM (customer relationship management) system and mobile app are in the works to allow real-time tracking and incubation. Currently, the team works off Google Sheets, but the vision is to make the new system open-source, enabling other states across India to replicate the model.
One of PRIME Rural’s most powerful contributions is in reviving Meghalaya’s indigenous products and traditional knowledge systems. The red rice tea from the Jaintia Hills is one such example. Once a local staple, the red rice tea had nearly disappeared. PRIME Rural brought it back and sustainably packaged it in bamboo, lab-tested, and now stocked on shelves across India. The tea, which smells like coffee but is caffeine-free, connects the present with the past. Similarly, Umwai oil, introduced by Albidora Jitem, a determined single mother from Umwai villagen, is the force behind the Pure Dawai Umwai, which has traditional remedy with anti-inflammatory properties.
It was once sold in makeshift plastic packets. Today, it’s being bottled, branded, and tested by the National Botanical Research Institute for national recognition.
One such entrepreneur is Paleihunlin Kharraswar from Tynnai village, Mawkyrwat, South West Khasi Hills, who began her journey in 2017 with the Iatreilang Self-help Group, where she learned and honed the intricate skill of bamboo crafting. In 2019, she launched Palei Handicraft, turning her passion into a small but growing enterprise that employs local artisans and aggregates craftwork from across her community. “Braiding these baskets is very time consuming and labour intensive,” she explains. “We have to peel the bamboo, pound the bamboo strips, and then braid them.” Despite the challenges, she’s committed not just to preserving her craft but also uplifting others around her. PRIME Rural helped her take that vision further. “I started in 2019 with Palei Handicrafts but PRIME Rural has given me the platform to also venture into food processing. I am very fortunate to be part of PRIME Rural.”
The approach is also fiercely sustainable as every piece of packaging is biodegradable. Bamboo replaces plastic and reusable materials take precedence over disposables. Even though it meant higher costs upfront, Khan and her team chose to invest in sustainable packaging, refusing cheaper alternatives that would compromise the project’s integrity. But perhaps the most sustainable aspect of the programme is its respect for the community’s existing practices. “Our rural entrepreneurs are already sustainable,” Khan says. “We just need to make sure we don’t sidetrack them in the name of commercialisation.”
Soon, the people of Meghalaya will get a closer look at what’s been quietly building behind the scenes. A new store, Meghalaya Collectives, is set to open in Shillong below Dylan’s Café. It will showcase caffeine-free teas, artisanal pickles, traditional oils, and other products born from local talent and cultural legacy. Each one is a testament to what’s possible when people are given the support they need on their own terms, in their own homes.
What began as a blank canvas, as Khan describes it, is now a living and growing ecosystem of rural innovation. PRIME Rural isn’t just a government project but a people’s movement, restoring the pride and reviving heritage helping Meghalaya’s rural entrepreneurs step confidently into the spotlight.