Cherry Blossoms as a catalyst of change for development in North East

Mao, Manipur ; 29 November 2017

Huge footfall and Cherry Blossoms at Kayinu Village, Mao, Manipur in the last week of November 2017

Mao, a small border town between Manipur and Nagaland, is known as the gateway to Manipur. Even though Mao plays a significant role in the economy of Manipur, producing a huge amount of vegetables and flowers that are in high demand, all over Manipur and the neighbouring states, Mao has never received its due attention.

A team of dedicated scientists and students have been working silently for the last two years to display the unique bioresources of Mao to the rest of the world. The idea of organising Manipur’s 1st Cherry Blossom Festival was conceptualized by Prof. Dinabandhu Sahoo, Director, Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), a National Institute of Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, taking into confidence the Mao Village Council, the Mao Flower Growers’ Association, the district administration, ICCR, Govt of India and various state government departments.

Huge footfall and Cherry Blossoms at Kayinu Village, Mao, Manipur in the last week of November 2017

Manipur’s 1st Cherry Blossom Festival was held during 26-28 November 2017 at Mao, which was attended by more than 20,000 people from all over India. The venue at Kayinu Village was beautifully decorated using sustainable and ecologically friendly bamboo based structures having indigenous and exotic flower stalls, orchids and organically grown fruits and vegetables, said Prof. Sahoo, who has been spearheading the Cherry Blossom movement in India.

I was happy to see a lot of excitement and smiles in the face of the people at the jam-packed venue and it gives us great satisfaction that just two weeks back, India International Cherry Blossom Festival had a footfall in excess of 100,000 people at Shillong, Meghalaya and boosted their business by 200-300%.

Huge footfall and Cherry Blossoms at Kayinu Village, Mao, Manipur in the last week of November 2017

It was also gratifying to see 7 Cabinet Ministers of the Government of Manipur, led by Shri N. Biren Singh, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Manipur, land at the festival venue, where he announced Rs. 70 Crores worth of developmental project for the area, which will have a greater economic impact in the years to come.

The Chief Minister had also declared that from next year, the Cherry Blossom Festival would become a part of the State Sangai Festival. Seeing its grand success, IBSD is planning to replicate a similar model in other states of North East India, to bring peace, prosperity and sustainable development through Cherry Blossoms, in the near future, said Sahoo.