The interview of Mr D K Sarma, the Secretary General of the North East Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Guwahati, about Samridhi 2005:

Q. 1.     Why a Brand Summit ? Why is it so special ?

Ans:     The Brand Summit will be a unique platform for disseminating all information, sharing of knowledge and experience, and determination of strategies for building brand images in the globalized economy. Indian companies have made significant breakthrough in the international market. To be world class in what they do, is the new paradigm of business for these Indian companies. The Challenge for Indian companies is from global players and to promote themselves as global brands, they need benchmarking with the best in the world while moving away from purely product sales to a value ?added service approach. The need of the hour is to focus on building sustainable sources of competitiveness and the only way ahead of Indian companies to do so is product and process innovation along with steps to aggressively build their brands in the global market. The ultimate aim, after all, is to make the? Made in india? tag a world class brand in itself, just as ? Made in Switzerland? has long been considered the benchmark for quality in and outside Europe, as far as watches are concerned.

With the announcement of ?look east policy? by Govt. of India, North Eastern Region is assumed a place of importance so far as trade and commerce with neighbouring countries are concerned. In the globalized and liberalised economy it is difficult to survive without a strong brand.  Brand plays a vital role in attracting the consumer attention. With increased global trading and the arrival of the new range of multimedia tools the competition has become tougher and more testing than ever. Consumers today have innumerable options in its product category. Any brand that can move or touch a consumer can expect to have more customers coming back to. A brand therefore can be called the emotional shortcut between a company and its customers. Companies can forge lasting emotional associations with consumers by becoming better corporate citizens. Branding of a product depends much on quality of corporate citizenship.

The awareness level on all these aspects of building a brand is comparatively low in the North Eastern Region and therefore the Brand Summit will play a special role of educating the business executives , entrepreneurs , NGOs , journalists, even intellectuals on various aspects of Brand.

Q.2.     How far is the commitment from the seven sister states?

Answer:     The commitment from the seven sister states and Sikkim lately included in the North Eastern Region needs to be ascertained through organisation of a brand summit. This is a maiden effort and therefore commitment from the participants from all the eight North Eastern States may not be adequate. However Guwahati being the hub and gateway to the North Eastern States, have representative from all the states and we expect a large number of participants particularly business leaders, business executives, entrepreneurs , NGO heads, intellectuals and media person representing all the North Eastern States participate in this summit. Guwahati as the venue of the brand summit will encourage more participation from these states compared to other venues in the metro cities of the country.

Q.3.     What does the summit aims to achieve?

Ans:     The brand summit aims at creating awareness among the entrepreneurs, business executives, business leaders and others about the various aspects of brand and brand image. It also aims at giving exposure of the best branding and marketing brains to them through success stories and case studies, interaction can be made lively.

Q.4.     List five priority areas of the summit.

Ans : The five priority areas of the brand summit are

1)     Branding challenges in the North East.
2)     Brand Management for SMEs. 
3)     Brand building tools
4)     Success stories and case studies.
5)     NECCI business awards: There are following 9 categories of awards to be given after the nomination are judged best by the Jury comprised of stalwarts from the country in brand- equity.

Q.5.   How is NECCI working towards creating an environment friendly atmosphere in the North Eastern Region?

Ans:     North East Chamber of Commerce & Industry is a non govt., non political, non profit- making organization devoted to the cause of rapid socio-economic development of the hitherto undeveloped North Eastern Region of India. It works as a catalyst by

a) organizing road shows , seminar, conferences, trade exhibition and workshops etc.
b) by advocacy programme that protect regional business interest and at the same time bring about effective and positive policy formulation and implementation.
c) by conducting training programme for core competency development.
d) by providing networking opportunities and linkages
e) by interacting with govt. and semi govt. authorities for business promotion.

Q. 6. Name some of the initiative taken by NECCI in this aspect.

Ans. NECCI started its operation with release of a monograph titled ?Insurgence to Resurgence? During the course of last 5 years of its operation, NECCI has organised several developmental initiatives by organizing seminars, workshops, conferences on agriculture and agri business , energy, health care, education, climate change, total quality management, arbitration, inter active meets with foreign ambassadors and High Commissioners, buyer seller meet on cane & bamboo and enterprise development exposition , trade fares etc. NECCI?s demand for a separate ministry for NE has come to fruition as Ministry of DONER. NECCI works as pressure group on major issues of development in NER.

Q.7. What are the high growth areas/sector in the North East? If you could touch upon their potential any relevant study survey at the potential of North East.

Ans : The core competency areas of North East are agriculture and agri business , health care services, tourism , HRD, handloom and handicraft sector . Several studies and surveys have been made by various organisations on these Core Competency areas.

Q.8. How is NECCI looking towards infrastructure development in the region ?

Ans : The main bottleneck for development of the North Eastern Region during  the  last 56 years of independence is lack of proper infrastructure facilities. Despite tremendous potential for Hydro Electric Power North Eastern Region of India suffers from paucity of power. In spite of tremendous potential tourism has not taken off due to non availability of proper roads, accommodation and air connectivity. The surface transport is tedious and time consuming. Natural resources are available in abundance but value addition has not taken place. NECCI is taking up these issues with Central Govt. and other developmental agencies for early remedies to these vexed issues. If infrastructure problem is solved out North Eastern Region will be a hub of trade and commerce activities with South East Asian Countries.

Q.9.  The North Eastern Region is the reservoir of medicinal and herbal plants. What is chambers stand on this sector? How can the potential of these sector be harnessed?

Ans: Medicinal and aromatic plants grow wild in the North Eastern Region and therefore efforts should be made on commercial cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants in the North Eastern Region. NECCI organised a two day seminar on commercial cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants as a result of which, an awareness been created among the local youth for self employment activities in this sector. Survey has been made by various agencies to identify different types of medicinal and herbal plants and efforts are being made to convert them into economic activities with reasonably successful outcome. We consider this sector as part of agri business and liaisoning with various agencies for development of agri business is going on continuous basis. Market linkage however is important for development of these sectors. And NECCI is channelising various pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries for the proper market linkages.

Q.10. How do you read the potential of information technology and tourism? What initiative the North Eastern states and NECCI has taken?

Ans: North Eastern Region of India is endowed with natural resources and qualified English speaking manpower. The potential of information technology and tourism therefore is enormous. However state is trying its best with limited resources to promote IT and tourism. Support from Central Govt. however is much to be desired. NECCI has identified tourism and agriculture as the thrust areas through which the North Eastern Region can be developed and its economy can be transformed. Any effort made in this direction will be less considering the potential it carries.

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