Kohima: The Nagaland Department of Industries & Commerce on Tuesday honoured eight entrepreneurs with the Entrepreneur Award 2025 in recognition of their outstanding contributions to entrepreneurship and enterprise development in the state.
The awards were presented during a ceremony held at the department’s conference hall in Kohima. The recipients were selected by the State Selection Committee after evaluating applications received from across Nagaland.
Addressing the gathering, Director of Industries & Commerce P. Tokugha Sema acknowledged the role of Advisor for Industries & Commerce Hekani Jakhalu in strengthening the department’s initiatives and making programmes such as the Entrepreneur Award successful.
Congratulating the awardees, Sema described them as genuine entrepreneurs whose achievements reflected years of hard work, dedication and perseverance. He said entrepreneurship is a challenging journey that demands passion and commitment, adding that building a successful enterprise requires sustained effort and sacrifice.
He stressed that long-term success depends on sincerity, resilience and unwavering commitment to one’s goals.
Advisor Hekani Jakhalu congratulated the awardees and lauded their contribution to Nagaland’s economy through job creation and enterprise development. She said the state recognition was intended not only to honour their achievements but also to encourage them to scale up their businesses at the state, national and global levels.
Highlighting the department’s efforts under the Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) programme, Jakhalu said extensive outreach activities, including village-level workshops, have been conducted across the state to promote entrepreneurship.
She informed that 750 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have been identified for a six-month mentoring programme aimed at helping them expand and emerge as leading representatives of Nagaland’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, particularly under the Naturally Nagaland initiative, which promotes Made-in-Nagaland products.
Jakhalu also urged entrepreneurs to avoid the “founder’s trap”, a situation where business owners become overly dependent on managing every aspect of their enterprise, limiting opportunities for growth and learning. She encouraged entrepreneurs to build efficient systems, delegate responsibilities and invest in networking, emphasising that strong business ecosystems are essential for sustainable growth.
She further acknowledged the support of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio for initiatives aimed at strengthening MSMEs and local businesses, adding that entrepreneurs would play a pivotal role in shaping Nagaland’s future economic development.
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The awardees were Pisala Sangtam, founder of Forever Handmade 21, Kiphire; S. Khumo, proprietor of Art & Craft Unit, Noklak; Liyingbeni Odyuo, founder of Liying Clothing, Dimapur; Vitoli Achumi, proprietor of Aasuto Enterprise, Dimapur; Imtisunup Longchar, founder of Ilandlo Services, Dimapur; Ajung Yaden and Atem Longkumer, founders of TRIBOLT, Dimapur; Supongtola Aier, proprietor of Zonee Food Products, Dimapur; and Alem Konyak, founder of Beads Jewellery, Mon Town.
Delivering the closing remarks, Joint Director K. Francis Hekavi said the awards marked the beginning of a larger journey rather than the final destination. He urged the entrepreneurs to continue fostering innovation, support local businesses and serve as torchbearers for enterprise development and economic growth in the state.
The programme was chaired by Additional Director Er. Y. Lipongse Thongstar.
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