Sampark 2019

The Department of Business Administration – a star department of Tezpur University – for its Silver Jubilee year took up a very relevant and contemporary theme as the focus of deliberations for landmark edition of Sampark…the interface : Act East : Unveiling the Opportunities. This year, it was a three day affair on 14-16th February, 2019.

The first day saw the mega final presentations of B-iDEA, the pan-India Business Idea contest, open for bonafide students. Participants from all over the country participated, and were whittled down to final-ten in two stages – proposal paper, and then recorded online presentation. Excellent ideas were presented by teams from New Delhi, Pune, Bengalaru, etc apart from the North East.

Finally a team from BCAS, New Delhi, who demonstrated a waste segregating kiosk walked away with the top spot and a cash reward of INR 20K. Runner Up position went to a team from Symbiosis, Pune, who got richer by INR 15K. Both teams presented their idea via video conferencing. Second Runner Up position was closely contested, and finally wrestled by a team from Tezpur University, who took a purse of INR 10K. For the first time, a special award was instituted for any team who otherwise had a fantastic idea, beautifully packaged and presented – but had to be rejected by the Jury due to some technical reason. The Jury Special award with a purse of INR 5K went to a team who presented a tourism related project.

Jury members included Startup Mentors and Bankers for final presentations, and Tour operators, Bankers, entrepreneurs and businessman for first and second round of initial screening.

The second and third day was transposed with a National Seminar focussing of impact of govt. policies. Speakers included captains of Industry, Economy, Bureaucracy and Diplomacy, apart from Entrepreneurs and Academicians.

With the Narendra Modi government shifting gear to Act East Policy from their predecessor’s Look East, it is time for constituents in our economy to move from thinking to actions. Geographically, it meant a lot for this region when our Prime Minister declared in Guwahati a year ago (February 2018) that Act East Policy has been created with North East India at the heart of it. He foresaw an increase in trade and commerce, and general economic upliftment of this region through such relations with countries to India’s east, particularly the AESAN countries. This has the potential to be a strategic masterstroke for impeding a looming shadow of an economic superpower just across our borders.

The onus lies on our shoulders to take this thrust towards reality. North East India would definitely be a trade and commerce gateway of India for positively decisive turnaround of economy of our great nation.

Our budding managers from TUMBA – who walks with a beautiful motto “Beyond Being Better” – has the responsibility of being part of our country’s ground force for achieving this goal of converting the Policy to tangible benefits – both short term as well as long term.