SUCCESS CALLS: FOCUS ON INDIA’S NORTHEAST FOREWORD First, the good news. wareness of the North East development, this region has certain states of India, and an increased distinct advantages. It is strategically Asensitivity to their role and located with access to the traditional contribution to the national discourse is domestic markets of eastern India, along probably at an all time high according with proximity to the major states in to surveys. Witness the visibility given the east and adjacent countries such as to issues faced by communities from Bangladesh and Myanmar. The region is the region in the country’s key metros also a vantage entry point for the South- like Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru. This East Asian markets. The resource-rich increased sensitivity is, in its own way north east with its expanses of fertile an acknowledgement of the increasingly farmland and a young talent pool is important role the people from the poised to be among the country’s more region are filling, ‘visible’ primarily in prosperous regions soon. the hospitality and service industries to some as it might be. Getting the region to meet its potential involves tackling the many Known for its tropical rain forests, challenges of growth and development FOREWORD tribal cultures, handicrafts, tea and like poor infrastructure and connectivity, cultural diversity, north-east India is unemployment, low economic quickly evolving with the changing times. development, law and order problems, Despite experiencing a slower pace of etc. Hence, it is of paramount importance industrialization and socio-economic that the region, as a collective identity, growth, the seven sisters are seamlessly embarks on a vibrant journey to realise emerging as a promising, new market for the dreams of a better future. a lot of brands. This supplement hopes to build on Comprising the states of Arunachal this new interest and need to know more Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, about the North East region among India’s Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura, this media and advertising community. Starting region collectively accounts for about 8 from basic demographics to the untapped UPPLEMENT S per cent of the country’s geographical potential of this huge market, brand area and more than 4 per cent of its stories, role of media and a lot more. n population. Blessed with abundant natural AMIT TRIPATHI SPECIAL National Sales Head, COO resources for industrial and social Focus Bangla and Focus NE MARCH 2015 R afaqs! Reporter I SUCCESS CALLS: FOCUS ON India’S NORTHEAST 3 SUCCESS CALLS: FOCUS ON INDIA’S NORTHEAST CONTENTS Introduction 5 India Discovers its North East UPPLEMENT Demographics S 6 North East Development 8 SPECIAL The Changing Face of North East What’s New - 1 11 North East India: A Brand-New Opportunity North East OCUS ON 12 Market Composition F Marketing 14 Upscale Brands Eying the North East Markets What’s New - 2 17 Brands Eying the North East: Amway Targets the North East Interview 18 ARVIND R VOHRA Country CEO & MD, Gionee India Interview 20 AMIT TRIPATHI National Sales Head and COO, Focus Bangla and Focus NE Commercial 23 North East: The Emerging Design: Start-up Hub of India Vinay Dominic What’s New - 3 Cover Design: 25 Arti Rohatgi A North Eastern startup: Sons of the Soil created a Pork Brand from India - Arohan Foods Edited & Compiled By: Diksha Seth & Conclusion Arshita Bhardwaj 26 The Sisterhood of the North East 4 MARCH 2015 R afaqs! Reporter I SUCCESS CALLS: FOCUS ON India’S NORTHEAST SUCCESS CALLS: FOCUS ON INDIA’S NORTHEAST INTRODUCTION India discovers its north east ften described as the cultural mosaic of India, the northeastern region of Othe country consists of diverse tribal communities, linguistic and ethnic identities. The region, connected to the mainland India with the 22 k.m. long “ChickenNeck Corridor”, comprises of eight states and has international border with neighbouring countries, namely region by focusing on employment generation, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, China, and and creation of world-class infrastructure in Bhutan. The Northeast is a strategic location the IT, power and manufacturing sectors. in the international scene, linked to South & For students and unemployed youths in the South-East Asia. The politics of northeast India region, who are desperate for job opportunities, was marked by ethnicity and extremism for Modi has struck the right chord. The promise a long time. The strong assertion of various to create BPO jobs in the Northeast area ethnic identities and the attitude of the state in and eventually make the region an IT hub at containing ethnic extremism make the region par with Bangalore and Hyderabad is quite distinct from the rest of India. appealing. The long period of insurgencies had an The Prime ministers’s vision to harness obvious fallout on investments and growth in the potential of the herbal, horticulture and the region. However, that is set to change, agro-processing industries has also appealed with an end to many of the region’s disputes, to the business classes in the region. Keeping and multiple peace agreements, the next his words, Narendra Modi flagged off the first decade could belong to the region. States like train from Mendipathar in North Garo Hills of Sikkim have already blazed a successful trail, Meghalaya to Dudhnoi in Goalpara district of improving per capita income and other lead Assam through remote control from Guwahati. indicators drastically by riding on its abundant natural resources, Hydro power, in this case. A slew of airports, better train connectivity, UPPLEMENT S and road network enhancements are expected Assam too, which produces 55 per cent to change the face of this region completely of India’s tea, 60 per cent of its plywood and in the coming decade. A few of the changes a substantial part of its crude oil, could see a are already visible, as people in the metros of huge amount of interest as its tribal conflicts India can confirm, where quality establishments SPECIAL subside gradually. in the services sector have discovered the positives. It is time you, dear reader, opened up Prime Minister Narendra Modi courted the your mind to the opportunities too. n MARCH 2015 R afaqs! Reporter I SUCCESS CALLS: FOCUS ON India’S NORTHEAST 5 SUCCESS CALLS: FOCUS ON INDIA’S NORTHEAST DEMOGRAPHICS North east Comprising of the states of UPPLEMENT S Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura Pradesh SPECIAL and Sikkim. Sikkim Assam Nagaland Arunachal Pradesh Meghalaya Assam Manipur Manipur Meghalaya Mizoram Tripura Nagaland Mizoram Tripura Sikkim POPULATION POPULATION DENSITY PER SQ. KM. 31,169,272 397 350 3,671,032 2,964,007 2,721,756 132 122 119 1,382,611 1,980,602 1,091,014 86 52 610,577 17 Arunachal Assam Manipur Meghalaya Mizoram Nagaland Tripura Sikkim Arunachal Assam Manipur Meghalaya Mizoram Nagaland Tripura Sikkim Pradesh Pradesh 6 MARCH 2015 R afaqs! Reporter I SUCCESS CALLS: FOCUS ON India’S NORTHEAST SUCCESS CALLS: FOCUS ON INDIA’S NORTHEAST DECADAL GROWTH RATE IN % LITERACY RATE IN % 91.58 87.75 81.42 27.82 79.85 80.11 75.48 25.92 73.18 22.78 66.95 18.65 16.93 14.75 12.89 -0.47 Arunachal Assam Manipur Meghalaya Mizoram Nagaland Tripura Sikkim Arunachal Assam Manipur Meghalaya Mizoram Nagaland Tripura Sikkim Pradesh Pradesh Source: SEX RATIO (FEMALES PER 1000 MALES) The data on population, population density per square kilometer, decadal growth rate of population, literacy and sex ratio (females per 1000 males) are taken from the Census of India 2011 (provisional figures). 987 Percentage of total population growth in a particular decade - "Decadal Growth Rate". 986 975 961 954 920 931 State Official Languages 890 Arunachal Pradesh Hindi, Deori, Assamese, English T T S S Assam Assamese, Bengali, Bodo THEIR THEIR A D Manipur Meiteilon E Meghalaya Khasi, Pnar, Garo, Hindi, English AN S Mizoram Mizo, English ORTH ANGUAGE Nagaland Nagamese, English L N Tripura Bengali, Kokborok Arunachal Assam Manipur Meghalaya Mizoram Nagaland Tripura Sikkim Pradesh STATE Sikkim Sikkimese, Lepcha PER CAPITA INCOME OF NORTH EAST STATES 2009-10 [NSDP AT 2004-05 PRICES] 51,644 48,937 42,601 45,982 35,799 28,531 27,197 22,418 UPPLEMENT S Arunachal Pradesh Assam Manipur Meghalaya Mizoram Nagaland Tripura Sikkim SPECIAL Per Capita Income in Rs. per annum NNP - Net National Product Source: CSO, State Domestic Product (State Series), Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation CSO. MARCH 2015 R afaqs! Reporter I SUCCESS CALLS: FOCUS ON India’S NORTHEAST 7 SUCCESS CALLS: FOCUS ON INDIA’S NORTHEAST DEVELOPMENT The changing face of North east UPPLEMENT S For the self-sustained growth of the region, there needs to be a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem as per the local needs. back the region from developing. SPECIAL Also, places like Manipur, Assam, Nagaland and Tripura have been suffering from ethnic violence for decades. This sustained violence has led to a lack of opportunities for people residing in this area to exercise their entrepreneurial spirit. The green verdant mountains of the North East conceal a rich culture of art and handicrafts passed on from generation to generation. All the eight states stand out All the eight or decades now, the North East has been individually, not only in terms of geographical states stand a black-hole for business and enterprise distance, but also in cultural diversity. In out individually, Fdevelopment. There are many reason addition, the markets in each state differ not only in for this, the sustained conflict, geographical considerably - right from consumption terms of isolation, militarisation and migration have patterns to the kinds of goods and services geographical led to a drying up of investments. This is produced by a particular region.