April 25, 2025: Report on Studentpreneur Awareness Programme 2025
The Studentpreneur Awareness Programme 2025 was successfully organised by the Skill Development Committee, Kohima College, in collaboration with Young Indians (Yi), EduCentre & Startup Nagaland (Department of Industries & Commerce, GoN). The event aimed to inspire & inform students about entrepreneurship & was held in the format of a panel discussion.
The programme was chaired by Lona Katiry, Asst. Professor, Department of Education, Kohima College. The panel featured two distinguished entrepreneurs from Nagaland: Teresa Sekhose, Founder of Leaf & Loom, & Atoho A Kinimi, Founder of Joldi Pabo.
Both panellists shared their entrepreneurial journeys, focusing on the origin & development of their startups. They emphasised the importance of understanding the Naga market & building a brand that resonates emotionally with consumers. Their testimonies included discussions on marketing strategies, branding, the use of sustainable materials, & the need for thorough market research prior to launching a business.
A key takeaway from the discussion was the significance of transforming one’s skills into entrepreneurial ventures, even as passive sources of income. The panellists also highlighted the benefits of flexibility in entrepreneurship & mastering essential skills such as sales, negotiation & customer service. The principle that “the customer is always right” & strategies for dealing with difficult customers were also addressed.
Other critical themes included the challenges of securing funding, the importance of having a clear & meaningful business concept to attract investors, & the need to price creative products in a way that reflects their value. They encouraged students to focus not only on profit but also on providing viable solutions to market demands.
The panel concluded with a lively Q&A session, where students raised questions about the self-sustainability of terrarium businesses, insights into the real estate market, & strategies for effective use of social media in business promotion.
Overall, the Studentpreneur Awareness Programme 2025 was a resounding success. It achieved its intended learning outcomes by equipping students with practical insights & inspiring them to consider entrepreneurship as a meaningful & sustainable career path.
November 8, 2024: 2nd Annual Winter Festival 2024
Report below:
Introduction: Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony: Kohima College’s Skill Development Committee initiated & organised the annual “Winter Wonderland Festival” by transforming the campus as per the theme on 8th November 2024, celebrating the season’s spirit with a special Christmas-themed fest. The event began at 9:30 AM & continued till 2:30 PM & was inaugurated by the Principal, Dr. Vitsosie Vüprü, who officially cut the ribbon to kick off the day’s festivities.
Winter Festival 2024 & Sustainability: This year’s festival was uniquely remarkable since almost all the decorative elements were sourced from reusable materials produced by Kohima College students & faculty over the last few years. This was not just cost-cutting but also ensured sustainable reuse for materials which would have otherwise found their way into the trash bins of Kohima district.
Inter-Departmental Christmas Tree Decoration: A highlight of the day was the Inter-Departmental Christmas Tree Decoration Competition held at the college courtyard. The beautifully adorned trees were judged by Assoc. Prof. Kaholi Chishi, Vice Principal of Kohima College, Retd. Head of Department, Political Science, Kohima College, Assoc. Prof. Zeneinuo Solo and Khriebu Nakhro, President of the Kohima College Alumni Association. The departments were judged on the following criteria:
- Creativity: Originality, Unique design and/or use of storyline or theme
- Decorations: Display & Placement
- Overall Appearance: Effort & Attractiveness
The winners of this competition were:
- Department of English: 1st Position
- Department of Education: 2nd Position
- Department of Commerce: 3rd Position
Practical Assessment for 36-Hour Paper-Craft Making Certificate Course: This festival also served as the final platform for the student participants of the “36-Hour Paper-Craft Making Certificate Course” to showcase & display their handmade paper crafts across various activity booths & the entirety of the festival venue itself. These participants also formed the main backbone of volunteers for the Skill Development Committee, during the decorative aspect of sustainable materials for the festival. The visible and smooth transmission between theory to the applicability of learned paper-craft-making skills proved that the certificate course had endless possibilities for employability as well as personal use.
Departmental & Student-Run Booths: “Winter Wonderland” also featured an extensive food menu with both local delicacies and international treats, including Kimbap, Som Tam, Choux pastries, Brioche & Berliners. Traditional sticky rice products and millet-based sweets added a touch of regional flavour, while seasonal ginger ale and hot chocolate provided warmth to attendees.
Activity booths run by college departments added to the charm, with face—painting, a photo—booth, jumble sale offering items at discounted prices, Café, dessert booth etc. The Students’ Council’s lottery and game booths provided entertainment and prizes, adding excitement throughout the day.
The “Winter Wonderland” fest at Kohima College not only celebrated the festive season but also promoted skill development, creativity, sustainability and community bonding. Part of the proceeds from the event will support further skill-building initiatives, aligning with the mission of the Skill Development Committee to foster practical and employable skills to Kohima College students.
October 28—November 8, 2024: Papercraft-Making Certificate Course
With 33 Contact hours, this Papercraft-Making Certificate Course aimed to augment artistic and practical skills, increasing their quintessential qualities in terms of applicability, enhancing creative techniques, fostering personal expression through hands-on projects & most importantly, translating handiworks to employability for emerging small businesses.
Objectives of the Course:
- Motivate students towards entrepreneurial ventures & their sheer advantages
- Enlighten students about the employability aspect of such skills, especially in terms of start-ups
- Craft-making fosters collaborative teamwork through shared community of hand-craft experiences
The resource person was Lona Katiry, Assistant Professor, Department of Education, Kohima College & her learning student assistant Atsu Lovely, BA 3rd Semester, Kohima College. Altogether there, were
July 15, 2024: Skill Showcase Competition themed “SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth/ SDG 13: Climate Action”
Skill Development Committee organised a Skill Showcase Competition themed as “SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth/ SDG 13: Climate Action”. The judges for the competition were-Dr Eunice Alinger (Assoc. Prof.), Dr Evothung Ezung (Assoc. Prof.) & Sungjeminla (Assoc. Prof.). The student participants were judged on originality, creativity, thematic similarity & sustainability/reuseability of the materials used. The winners of the competition were:
1. Rokolhoulie Pfukha, 5th Sem, Dept. Of Economics (1st)
2. Tongcham K, 1st Sem, Dept. Of Evonomics (2nd)
3. Ketouzo Nagi, 5th Sem, Dept. Of Commerce (3rd)
October 7, 2023: IBMSkillsBuildProgramme Workshop
A workshop was conducted by the Investment & Development Authority of Nagaland-IBM on the 7th October 2023 for the B.A. and B. Com 5th semester students (2021 to 2024 batch).
Following the first workshop many students registered for the course. Out of 417 students in BA and 35 students in B.com, 249 students registered.
An orientation program was conducted on 17th February 2024 from 2:00 to 3:00 pm via Google Meet for all the SPOCs of registered colleges in Nagaland. Two resource persons from the IBM gave the orientation. Mr. Vasu Sethia spoke on the range of courses offered by the company and how these courses will improve the student’s employability while Mr. Mudit Pant reiterated on the steps to register for these courses.
Out of the 249 students that registered, 22 students enrolled and completed various courses. Details of the students’ registration, enrolment and completion dates of the courses has been attached with this report.