Assam Startups developing pitha-making machines

Guwahati: As many as two startups from Assam are working on a machine to mass-produce pithas, aiming to elevate the traditional Assamese delicacy's national and global presence.

In Assam, pitha is a special delicacy generally made only on special occasions like Bihu. Assamese pithas are often made from bora saul, a special variety of rice. Entrepreneurial consultant Satyen Madhav Mahanta highlighted the initiative to develop such machines during a startup skilling programme organized by the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) under the North-East Capacity Building 2.0 (NECB 2.0) project.

Notably, Mahanta emphasized the potential for startups in the traditional food industry, suggesting packaging innovations and standardized ingredient guidelines as future prospects. The pithas in Assam are typically made painstakingly through traditional methods that involve grinding the rice into fine powder. However, in recent years, "readymade pithas", available in stores, have gained in popularity.

Dr. Y. Jayanta Singh, Executive Director of NIELIT, underscored the role of artificial intelligence and new semiconductor plants in revolutionizing the local economy and creating opportunities for startups.

The Northeast Startup Catalyst Program at Assam Startup-The Nest aimed to strengthen the regional startup ecosystem. Anubhav Tiwari, Chief Innovation Officer of NIELIT, and other experts discussed the untapped potential of Northeast India. Key sessions included insights on prompt engineering, pitching strategies, and successful startup stories.

According to reports, Chinmoy Prakash Phookan of Assam Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (AIIDC) and Nandita Dutta, IT Department Secretary, highlighted government initiatives to foster a vibrant startup culture. However, Dr. Hirak Ranjan Das from the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell noted that startup awareness in the Northeast lags behind other regions.

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