Nagaland Governor Nand Kishore Yadav visited the State Institute of Hotel Management (SIHM), Dimapur, on September 8 and interacted with students and faculty.
Addressing the gathering, Yadav said hospitality was more than an industry and was fundamentally about welcoming people, understanding their needs, respecting differences and creating memorable experiences. He said Nagaland had immense tourism potential due to its natural beauty, biodiversity, traditions, cuisine and cultural heritage.
He stressed the importance of professionally trained youth in strengthening the State’s hospitality sector and encouraged students to explore entrepreneurship beyond government employment. He urged them to become “job creators rather than job seekers” by establishing restaurants, cafés, homestays, catering businesses and tourism ventures.
The Governor called for greater collaboration between SIHM and hotels, resorts, restaurants and tourism organisations to provide internships, industry exposure and placement opportunities. He also advocated year-round and community-based tourism through homestays, eco-tourism, and culinary and cultural tourism.
Encouraging students to carry “competence, character and compassion” throughout their careers, Yadav said Nagaland’s traditional warmth should be combined with modern professionalism. He also urged them to “dream beyond their circumstances, learn beyond textbooks and work beyond their comfort zones”.
The Governor later planted a sapling at the institute. The programme included welcome addresses by Principal Deepak Srivastava and CEO Ashok Sethi, and concluded with a vote of thanks by Naro.