Initiated by the Government of Meghalaya in the year 2022, and co-implemented by Sauramandala Foundation, Project DEFY and India Ultimate, the Chief Minister’s Youth Centre (CMYC) began a 3-day Youth Mela at All Saint’s Hall, Shillong from Aug 25. The three-day youth mela inaugurated by the CM Conrad K Sangma will feature panel discussions on various themes, live workshops featuring artisanal crafts such as woodwork, crochet, eco-drying, electronic 3D, and library corners offering immersive storytelling, reading along and paper crafting, along with fun games and activities to foster teamwork, critical thinking and learning.
A highlight of the inaugural programme was the NanoGrant distribution, recognizing youth innovators and their impactful projects. A total of 50 Nanopreneurs were identified for grants, and top 10 Nanopreneurs were given their grants in the event.
The NanoGrant program offers early-stage support by providing access to multiple resources, going beyond just financial assistance to nurture budding entrepreneurs, and helping them make informed decisions. There are 5000 registered entrepreneurs with CMYC, and 55 ‘Nanopreneurs’ in total with the CMYC. To date, a total of ₹19.71 lakhs has been disbursed to the entrepreneurs with ₹15. 71 lakhs generated through sales.
The Youth Mela by the CMYC will serve as a platform for strategic networking, celebrating the transformative impact of these centers and their role in talent development, encouraging peer learning and fostering community-led development across rural communities.
Nagakarthik MP, founder Sauramandala Foundation in his address stated that the essence of the Foundation came with the need for building a space within the community that could cater to everyone, to help the community bloom. He also added that the aim is to work together with those at the policy level and build a partnership with the state government to iterate solutions and build policy making. Shri Nagakarthik also informed that the CMYC will now be known as the “CMYC++” in every block to make these into safe spaces for the youth and adults.
As of 2025, 22 Chief Minister’s Youth Centres (CMYCs) have been initiated across 13 blocks in 8 districts serving over 3500 youths with the aim to expand the existing 22 CMYCs to 64 across 55 blocks of the state along with the World Bank-funded MPOWER Project which is going to be a six-year plan.
CMYC intends to foster experiential learning-centric education within rural areas all over the state. Each centre serves as a free-access learning hub for the community with NOOKs (self-designed learning spaces), libraries and creative resources which includes tinkering tools, computers, arts, and sports, enabling learners to pursue areas such as bakery, carpentry, coding, electronics, sports, arts and more.
Speaking at the inauguration, Chief Minister underscored the importance of grassroots connection. He said, “Development cannot be simply measured by a number, development is an aspect that has to be seen from multiple fronts. It’s incomplete if we are not able to connect our farmers, our rural entrepreneurs, our women, our youth, if you cannot connect different aspects of social issues like our health, education, socio economic issues like rural entrepreneurship, tourism, agriculture, food processing. As a government, our policies are very much detailed planning and detailed policy.” He also added, “invest in people, invest in institutions, invest in the system that you create. I look forward to many, many more projects and programs that will come up in the future.”
Dr. Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh, Health Minister in her address called this a unique effort put in by the Hon’ble Chief Minister to ensure that policy is a grassroots agenda and it is in these activities that the government can have a holistic view of what needs to be done. “The CMYCs are now going to be centers where public will be utilizing time together to discuss very serious health agendas,” she said while also commending the Sauramandala Foundation for encouraging free fair talk between young and old people to discuss issues of drugs and teenage pregnancies.
The event was also attended by Rosetta Mary Kurbah, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, East Khasi Hills; Shri Barnari Mawlong, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, South West Khasi Hills; Shri Nagakarthik MP, Founder of Sauramandala Foundation; along with senior officials and community representatives.
