Nand Kishore Yadav urged youth to explore opportunities in hospitality and tourism while preserving the State’s rich cultural identity.
DIMAPUR — Governor of Nagaland Nand Kishore Yadav has called upon the state’s youth to make the most of the growing opportunities in the hospitality and tourism sector while combining modern professionalism with Nagaland’s rich cultural identity.
The governor made the appeal during his visit to the State Institute of Hotel Management (SIHM), Dimapur, where he also encouraged six students whose education has been sponsored by Lok Bhavan, Kohima, to make the best use of the opportunity and build successful careers in the hospitality and tourism sector.
Speaking on the occasion, Yadav said hospitality was more than an industry, as it involved welcoming people, understanding their needs, respecting differences and creating memorable experiences.
He said Nagaland had a natural advantage in tourism, with its scenic landscapes, rich biodiversity, traditions, distinctive cuisine, music, festivals and diverse cultural heritage.
However, he noted that natural and cultural attractions alone could not make a successful tourism destination.
“Visitors remember how they were welcomed, the food they experienced, the cleanliness of the place, the quality of service and the warmth of the people they met,” he said.
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The governor underscored the important role of SIHM in preparing professionally trained young people who could combine technical knowledge with discipline, communication skills, courtesy and a genuine spirit of service.
Addressing the students, he said the hospitality industry offered a wide range of opportunities in hotels, restaurants, resorts, airlines, cruise services, event management, catering, food production, travel and tourism, both within and outside the state.
He encouraged the students to look beyond government employment and consider careers as skilled chefs, hotel managers, bakers, entrepreneurs, event professionals and tourism specialists.
Yadav also stressed the importance of preserving Nagaland’s identity while developing modern tourism.
He said the state’s culinary heritage, indigenous ingredients, traditional food preparation, handloom, handicrafts, music, dance and community traditions could provide visitors with unique experiences.
He said hospitality professionals could serve as “ambassadors of Nagaland”, with every receptionist, chef, guide, restaurant manager and trainee contributing to the image of the state.
The governor encouraged greater community participation in tourism, particularly through homestays, village tourism, eco-tourism, culinary tourism, cultural tourism and adventure tourism.
Such initiatives, he said, could create livelihoods in rural areas while enabling communities to remain custodians of their heritage.
He urged the students to study sincerely, develop their skills, respect their teachers, learn from their mistakes and maintain confidence without losing humility.
He said the best way to repay the support extended to them was by becoming capable and responsible members of society and helping others when they had the opportunity.
“Let us combine our traditional warmth with modern professionalism,” he said, calling for a hospitality sector that is “efficient, ethical, inclusive, sustainable and distinctly Naga”.
Yadav said the future of Nagaland would be built through the collective efforts of its young people, entrepreneurs, professionals, farmers, artisans, educators and communities, adding that SIHM students were an important part of that future.
Speeches were also delivered by SIHM Dimapur Principal Deepak Srivastava and CEO Askok Sethi.
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