Cyient Foundation, the CSR arm of Cyient, has partnered with SIDBI Swavalamban Foundation to establish an AI & Future Skills Center of Excellence (CoE) at the Nagaland Tool Room & Training Centre (NTTC) in Dimapur. Inaugurated on November 15 by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, along with Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister Y. Patton and Cyient Founder Chairman Dr. BVR Mohan Reddy, the initiative aims to accelerate AI-driven skilling and employability in the North-East.
Conceptualized and executed by Cyient Foundation, the CoE will offer AI-integrated skilling programs across handloom, handicraft, software coding, robotics, and emerging technologies. Supported through SIDBI Swavalamban Foundation’s CSR funding, the project includes state-of-the-art AI simulation labs and digital classrooms designed to bridge employability gaps and foster entrepreneurship.
In Dimapur, industry stakeholders view the CoE as a catalyst for economic activity, expecting it to strengthen the local talent pool and support MSMEs, start-ups, and digital service providers. Traders believe the availability of skilled youth will boost productivity, improve tech adoption, and expand opportunities in the region’s growing innovation ecosystem.
Dr. Reddy said the initiative reflects Cyient’s commitment to using technology for social good and integrating AI into skilling for developing states. SIDBI DMD Sudatta Mandal added that the collaboration aims to build a scalable model for technology-led livelihood generation. The CoE will train 200–240 youth annually, with 75% expected to secure employment or self-employment, reinforcing national missions including Digital India, Skill India, and Viksit Bharat 2047.
