Wahiajer, July 30: Thirty local youth, mostly women, completed an eight-day training programme on “Embroidery & Indigenous Design Techniques” at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Community College, Wahiajer, a constituent college of NEHU.
Held from July 22 to 30, the programme aimed to equip participants with vocational skills to promote economic independence, entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods through traditional crafts.
Resource person Ms. Heihokwanki Lytan led practical demonstrations and interactive sessions on indigenous embroidery and design. Participants gained hands-on experience to explore self-employment and income-generating opportunities.
The valedictory function was attended by Prof. H. Lamin, Retd. and Founder Principal In-charge of DDUCC, as Chief Guest, and Hunbait Chyrmang, Executive Engineer, MePDCL Mustem, as Guest of Honour. Also present were Latu Nartiang, Branch Manager, MCAB Ummulong; Lukas Jat of Wahiajer Village; Pastor Reveal Singh Phawa; and Dr. F. R. Sumer, Principal In-charge, DDUCC, along with faculty, staff and trainees.
Prof. Lamin congratulated the participants and urged them to use their skills to become entrepreneurs who create jobs for others. He stressed the importance of preserving indigenous knowledge and traditional craftsmanship as part of Meghalaya’s cultural heritage.
Dr. Sumer highlighted DDUCC’s commitment to community-oriented skill development and said such initiatives will contribute to socio-economic growth.
Hunbait Chyrmang, Latu Nartiang and Lukas Jat spoke on the role of vocational training in preserving indigenous embroidery traditions and building self-reliance. They praised the participants for their dedication and encouraged them to stay persistent.
The college felicitated Ms. Lytan for her guidance. Programme Coordinator Wolnish Rymbai said DDUCC has been receiving positive feedback for its skill development programmes, which are helping community members improve employability.
The training aligns with DDUCC-NEHU’s commitment to vocational education under NEP 2020 and the vision of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay to preserve cultural heritage while fostering inclusive development.
