NEW DELHI, 16 Jan: In a huge achievement, Arunachal Pradesh has been crowned the ‘best performer’ under the National Startup Ranking Framework (NSRF), during a ceremony held here to mark the National Startup Day on Friday.
The award was given for building a strong startup ecosystem in a geographically challenging state like Arunachal.
This is the highest recognition in startup ranking in India. Previously, the state had earned the ‘leader’ ranking in its very first year of participation, followed by the ‘top performer’ honour the next year, thereby improving the ranking each year till it received the highest ranking this year.
This national recognition places Arunachal among the foremost champions of India’s startup movement. Notably, only Goa and Gujarat share this premier ‘best performer’ distinction in the country.
The ceremony, which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, celebrated states that have demonstrated outstanding vision, commitment, and innovation in nurturing India’s burgeoning startup ecosystem. Organised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, the event marked a 10-year milestone in the nation’s entrepreneurial journey.
The award was received by Arunachal Pradesh Innovation & Investment Park (APIIP) CEO Tabe Haidar, in the presence of Planning & Investment Commissioner RK Sharma, and Planning & Investment Research Officer Tamo Rilla.
Reflecting on this grand achievement, Haidar expressed gratitude to the state’s leadership, stating that this could only be possible through the visionary and dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Pema Khandu and the far sighted guidance by Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein. He acknowledged and thanked the pivotal contributions of state officers Himanshu Gupta, Sonam Chombay, Prashant Lokhande, and Ankur Garg, whose support was instrumental to this success. He extended appreciation to the entire APIIP team, whose dedication, passion, and unyielding commitment have propelled Arunachal to this distinguished national stage.
Since its establishment in 2021, the APIIP has incubated 106 startups, with another 50 currently in incubation – a testament to the park’s unwavering dedication.
