Brain Storming Conclave in Guwahati After the grand success of the BS Conclave in Shillong, NECTAR successfully organized Braistorming conclave & Techn—fair for Atamanirbhar Northeast through S & T Interventions during 21-22 December 2021 at Cotton University Guwahati, Assam in collaboration with Unnat Bharat Abhiayan (UBA), VIBHA and Cotton University. The event and the Techno-Fair was inaugurated by the Chief Guest, Prof. Jagdish Mukhi, Hon’ble Governor of Assam. More than 750 registrations through participants, 25 dignitaries (both online/ offline) attended the 2-day event. A total of 55 stalls with indigenous technologies were demonstrated/displayed in the Techno fair organized, alongside the Conclave

Several innovative products created in NE with the support of NECTAR were launched during the inaugural programme viz.

1. The Bamboo Bat, developed by BCDI(Agartala), a skill centre of NECTAR and first of its kind in India which will give a new fillip to the bamboo industry of NE India
2. Air ionizer effective in combating against the pandemic and new variants of covid like the Omicron, developed by the NECTAR Incubated start up Fresh Craft Technology
3. Parables, a brand of handcrafted earthen ware pottery from Manipur, Imphal developed by Rip Trip

A series of Technical Sessions were held to highlight on the S&T Innovations to Provide Livelihood Opportunities in the Northeast and Technology Solution on Bamboo and Allied Activities, Agriculture and Food Processing, Geospatial and Communication and Mitigating Flood and Erosion Risk in Assam. The Event was also featured with various competitions on ideation, science and technology quiz by students and felicitation to reputed artisans of northeastern region. The event could bring all stakeholders (state Govt. officials, Academician, NGO’s, Self-help groups, Entrepreneurs.

NECTAR had organized two day Conclave titled “Transforming Meghalaya State Through Science and Technology Interventions” and Techno fair on 9th and 10th April 2021 at Convention Centre, Shillong, Meghalaya. The objective of organizing conclave was to bring technology seekers viz startups, entrepreneurs, academia State government departments, NGO and self help group etc. with technology providers viz national & state R&D & technical institutes like CSIR labs, DRDO, ICAR institutes, DST, DBT etc. along with central & state technical universities, on one platform, so that the state level issues can be discussed and appropriate technological solutions can be sought out.

The conclave was graced by Prof. Ashutosh Sharma, Chairman NECTAR and Secretary DST who joined virtually as the Chief Guest, Shri M S Rao, Chief Secretary, Government of Meghalaya and Shri Jayant Sahasrabudhe, National Organising Secretary, Vijnana Bharti,as Guest of Honour.

During the inaugural function, dignitaries launched a new product based on waste to wealth i.e. Water Hyacinth Yoga Mat developed by NECTAR. These yoga mats have been specially designed for promotion during International Yoga Day 2021.

The conclave was attended by more than 500 participants. 34 exhibitors displayed their technology/products during the techno fair. The conclave was comprised of five sessions,

1. The First Technical session consisted of Stakeholder perspectives on technology diffusion in the Northeast. Session included of roundtable discussion on stakeholder roles in implementation of S&T interventions in the Northeast. The major stakeholders participated in discussion were from Vibha Vani, Development Alternatives, Foundation for Integrated Support and Solution, Roar Up Bharat, Rama Krishna Mission, Sewa Bharti etc.
2. Second Technical session consisted of S&T innovations to provide livelihood opportunities in the Northeast. It included presentation by Organizations like Science for Equity, Empowerment and Development (SEED), Assam Downtown University, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), North East Space Applications Centre (NESAC), North East Institute of Science and Technology (NEIST) and Ad Guru Sh. Prahlad Kakkar.
3. Third technical session consisted of technology developments for the NER wherein technology developers from renowned institutes like CSIR, DBT, TRIFED, NERIST NITs etc. has pitched in their technology for various stakeholders in NER. Around 15 technologists from CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, CSIR- Central Glass & Ceramic Research Institute, CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, CSIR- Institute of Himalayan Bio resource Technology, CSIR- National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rural Technologies Action, North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology, University of Mumbai, National Institute of Technology Manipur, DRDO etc. presented their technologies.
4. Fourth technical consisted of Technology implementation in the North-East: success stories and challenges, where start-ups/entrepreneurs shared their actual experiences mainly challenges & opportunities from the ground.
5. Fifth technical session was All India Competition-Start-up ideation for Northeast where start-ups from all over India present their innovative start-up ideas having a potential to bring about societal benefits in the Northeast Region. The competition comprised of three rounds, first two of which were held on online mode and the final round was held offline at the State Convention Centre, during the conclave at Shillong, Meghalaya.

Entries on innovative startup ideas with a potential to bring about societal benefits in the Northeast Region (NER) of India were invited on themes:

1. Health
2. Education
3. Energy
4. Agriculture
5. Food processing
6. Waste management
7. Infrastructure
8. Ideas for livelihood generation using locally-available resources
9. Environment protection and restoration
10. Miscellaneous ideas for societal benefits.

More than 250 entries were received on the competition 14 entries were shortlisted for the third round which was evaluated by an esteemed jury consisting of India’s eminent experts and five entries were awarded the first, second (jointly), and third (jointly) prizes during closing ceremony.

Guwahati. The fundamental idea behind this conclave was to bring all stakeholders of NE region including state governments of NER along with technical institutions and entrepreneurs to understand the basic issues/problems and to discuss and to get the solutions thereof and also convey them the initiatives taken by NECTAR for the overall development of NE region. It has also given an opportunity to all stakeholders to know on what way NECTAR can help them to convert the problems into opportunities and make it possible through awareness of existing technology. More than 75 participants including various entrepreneurs, government officials, academicians from various research institutes, media people attended the Conclave and shared their views on various sectors. NECTAR organised such type of Conclave for the first time and it was appreciated by many stakeholders of North Eastern states and NECTAR received a good number of project proposals on various sectors for S&T interventions.

NECTAR, has organized ‘One-day Brain Storming Conclave – Transforming NE Region through Science and Technology Interventions’ on 20th November 2019, at Assam Administrative Staff College,

Guwahati. The fundamental idea behind this conclave was to bring all stakeholders of NE region including state governments of NER along with technical institutions and entrepreneurs to understand the basic issues/problems and to discuss and to get the solutions thereof and also convey them the initiatives taken by NECTAR for the overall development of NE region. It has also given an opportunity to all stakeholders to know on what way NECTAR can help them to convert the problems into opportunities and make it possible through awareness of existing technology. More than 75 participants including various entrepreneurs, government officials, academicians from various research institutes, media people attended the Conclave and shared their views on various sectors. NECTAR organised such type of Conclave for the first time and it was appreciated by many stakeholders of North Eastern states and NECTAR received a good number of project proposals on various sectors for S&T interventions.

A workshop on technology intervention in entrepreneurship was held at Fazi Ali College, Mokokchung, Nagaland on 29th February, 2020. The workshop was organised by IQAC, Fazi Ali College in association with NECTAR.

The workshop had three technical sessions. The resource person in first session was Apukuttan Jayakumar, Special Advisor of Vijanna Bharati. The resource person in second session was from NECTAR, who spoke on the prospects and aspects of bamboo and how NECTAR has contributed towards technology in promoting and developing bamboo and its allied products. DGNECTAR was the resource person for third technical session where he talked about NECTAR and its vision for North Eastern Region.