Meet these 3 Entrepreneurs from Meghalaya who Won NERES 1.0 Entrepreneurship Summit

BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF TOP THREE ENTREPRENEURS

Babatdor Dkhar: Listed among the top 25 winners of the Chief Minister's e-Champion Challenge Cohort-1, he is the founder of 'Ka Ktien Media' and Chief Editor of "Half and One". The 'Ka Ktien Media' is a digital media and production startup. It produces original and quality content in all three formats — written, audio and visual. At the heart of 'Ka Ktien Media' is "Half and One", which is a space for journalism and narrative non-fiction, comics and cartoons, short stories and poetry, art and creativity.

2. Baldilla T. Sangma: Founder of 'Ama Food Products' from West Garo Hills District of Meghalaya, she believes that jackfruit farming is one of the best alternative measures to combat poverty because Garo Hills has huge potential for mass production of jackfruit. Her enterprise is driven by the will to create livelihood opportunities for farmers by helping them realise the value of organic fruits while enabling to add value to them.

3. Rejaul Gabil Momin: Founder of He is among the top 50 Entrepreneurs of Meghalaya Chief Minister's E-Champion Challenge Cohort 1. The name of his enterprise is Gabil Cashew Processing Centre located in West Garo Hills District of Meghalaya. Launched more than a year ago, Gabil cashew processing centre has been engaged in processing of cashews but lack of funds proved to be a major hindrance to the business. They wish to establish themselves as a well-known brand in the years to come.

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: Altogether three entrepreneurs identified through the 'Meghalaya Chief Minister's e-Champion Challenge Cohort-1' have emerged as the top winners in NERES 1.0, an entrepreneurship summit aimed at offering a platform to promising startups and aspiring entrepreneurs across the north-eastern region. The business ideas of Babatdor Dkhar, Baldilla T Sangma and Rejaul Gabil Momin have been chosen as the best of the shortlisted 25 startup entrepreneurs. Each of them will receive a grant of Rs 5 lakhs under the sponsorship of North Eastern Council (NEC) for the year 2020.

An elated Babatdor Dkhar while thanking his mentors said, "Winning NERES 1.0 along with the Chief Minister's e-Champion Challenge Cohort 1, while also being selected for the IIM Shillong Incubation Center have been important events. I feel extremely fortunate because of the many opportunities that are opening up. I look at each as vital stepping stones in my entrepreneurial journey. The 'PRIME Startup Hub' and the resources that it offers is a platform that I hope many entrepreneurs in our State will have access to. A boot camp that PRIME Hub organized in February 2020 was instrumental in helping me formulate a more well-rounded approach to the business development of my startup 'Ka Ktien Media'."

Expressing her delight, Baldilla T Sangma, founder of 'Ama Food Products' said, "On winning the NERES 1.0 Summit, I would like to first thank the organizers of the competition. I would also like to thank IBDLP (Integrated Basin Development and Livelihoods Programme), MIE (Meghalaya Institute of Entrepreneurship) and PRIME hub who have helped me in ways more than one to achieve new heights. The mentoring sessions for the Chief Minister's e-Champion Challenge not only guided me but also built confidence in me to participate in the Summit and thereby emerge victorious."

Rejaul Gabil Momin, owner of the 'Gabil Cashew Processing Centre' said, "When I went for my first session of pitching, I immediately knew that the competition was fierce and I had to pull up my socks and had to give my best shot. I was overwhelmed and filled with joy knowing that my hard work and perseverance had finally paid off as I was declared as one of the winner of NERES 1.0".

He further added, "I was just an entrepreneur at first; but it was through rigorous mentoring by the 'PRIME Startup Hub' that gave me a vision and guidance. The hub has played a big role in my achievements that I have gained today."

Congratulating the winners, Barnari Mawlong, Joint Secretary, Commerce and Industries, Director of MBMA and Director of MIE, Government of Meghalaya , stated, "I am so glad that all the efforts made by the entire team from MBMA, MIE, MBDA, IIM-CIP, and other support groups, to this first cohort, right from the first bootcamp running up to the e-Champion Challenge-2019, up to the first diagnostic bootcamp after the PRIME Summit in January 2020, has borne fruit. The challengers have worked very hard and we can see the results of this hard work. I congratulate our winners of NERES 1.0, and may God be with them in the long journey ahead. This is just one stepping stone, and expect many more to come, and hope to see more of our top entrepreneurs winning laurels like this."

It may be mentioned that a first-of-its-kind annual open challenge called the 'Meghalaya Chief Minister's e-Champion Challenge Cohort 1' launched on August 14, 2019 identified 50 business ideas that are receiving incubation support at the 'PRIME Startup hubs' at Shillong and Tura. These hubs are managed in collaboration with the 'IIM Calcutta Innovation Park' (IIMCIP) as the knowledge partner.

The Government of Meghalaya, based on the learning of Entrepreneurship promotion initiatives, launched a comprehensive programme that looks at enterprise promotion and incubation in a holistic manner.

This programme is called the 'PRIME (Promotion and Incubation of Market-driven Enterprises). The PRIME programme was launched at Meghalaya's first-ever 'Entrepreneurship and Startup Summit-2020' held at the State Convention Centre, Shillong, on January 21.

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