Nirmala Sitharaman unveils SAMARTH project to boost AI, robotics learning in Northeast

KOHIMA — Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday launched the SAMARTH (Students Advancing Mindsets in AI, Robotics, Technology and Digital Hardware) project at National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) Kohima.

Speaking at the launch programme, the minister said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Northeast receives priority “even before any other part of the country.”

She said that institutions like NIELIT are established across India, but the partnership with the private sector, flexible courses, and opportunities offered in the Northeast give students a unique advantage. “In that, the Northeast is miles ahead of the rest of the country,” she remarked.

“I think that is only right because the youth here are revving for more and more opportunities. You have the right skill sets, you are ready, enthusiastic, and want to do a lot of things. It is only right that you get these opportunities,” she added.

Lanuwabang, Director of NIELIT Nagaland and Assam, informed that the SAMARTH project was conceptualised by NIELIT Kohima and funded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

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He described it as a flagship initiative to be implemented in collaboration with NIELIT centres across all eight NE states.

The project aims to empower school students through immersive project-based learning in AI and robotics, nurturing curiosity, innovation and responsible citizenship, he said.

He added that the goal is to train one lakh students over three years across 500 schools.

Each student will receive a kit to conduct experiments at home or school, while all participating schools will receive training kits as well.

During the event, the minister also unveiled three categories of training kits—Innovation Kits Basic-1, Basic-2, Advanced, and the School Innovation Mini-Lab Kit.

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In an interactive session with students, Sitharaman stressed the importance of financial awareness for women, stating that managing finances is not new to Indian women, who traditionally oversee household budgets.

She highlighted ongoing awareness campaigns by the Finance Ministry and the Reserve Bank of India aimed at empowering women to manage finances wisely.

She encouraged women to become financially independent “not at the detriment of the family but to strengthen the family, themselves, their children and their parents.”

Responding to a student’s query on contributing to Digital India through emerging technologies like AI and robotics, she said that today’s youth aspire to see a better and more developed India—one they help build.

The youth will eventually guide the country and shape future policies, she asserted.

On the Northeast’s development, she said that the region’s long-standing challenges in logistics and connectivity are being addressed through waterways and multimodal transport projects, which are steadily bridging gaps in access to ports and airports.

Earlier, upon her arrival, the minister visited stalls exhibiting innovations and activities by startups and students.

She also visited the India AI Labs and R&D Cyber Forensics Lab and interacted with students, encouraging them to motivate their peers to take up AI courses.

She highlighted the PM Internship Scheme—where students intern with top 500 companies—saying it would help make future job searches easier.

The minister also awarded course completion certificates to personnel from the Army Educational Corps, Ministry of Defence.

An MoU was signed between NIELIT Kohima and Tata Semiconductor Assembly and Test Private Limited to develop semiconductor talent and advanced manufacturing capabilities for the youth of Nagaland and the Northeast region.

Minister for Women Resource Development and Horticulture Salhoutuonuo Kruse, Advisor for School Education and SCERT Kekhrielhoulie Yhome, and Advisor for Prisons, Printing and Stationery Kropol Vitsu were also present at the programme.