IICA Sets Foot in Northeast with First Regional Campus in Shillong, Marking a Milestone for Inclusive National Growth

Shillong: In a historic move aimed at decentralizing capacity-building and promoting inclusive development, the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, has acquired a five-acre land parcel in New Shillong Township, Meghalaya, for its first-ever regional campus. This expansion marks IICA’s formal entry into the Northeast and reinforces the government’s commitment to fostering corporate governance excellence, sustainability, and entrepreneurship across India’s diverse regions.

The land transfer ceremony was presided over by Donald Phillips Wahlang, Chief Secretary, Government of Meghalaya, and Deepti Gaur Mukerjee, Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs. The event was attended by Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh, Director General & CEO of IICA; Inderdeep Singh Dhariwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs; C.V.D. Diengdoh, Commissioner & Secretary, Planning Department; (Col.) Amandeep Singh Puri from IICA; and other senior officials. The official handover was conducted by K. Hynniewta, Joint Secretary, Planning Department, Government of Meghalaya, and Shri Shekhar Srivastava, Deputy Secretary, Government of India.

Applauding the initiative, Chief Secretary Wahlang emphasized the strategic location of the new campus within the Knowledge City cluster of Shillong, which is already home to prominent institutions like IIM Shillong, National Law University Meghalaya, and NIFT. He noted that this concentration of academic institutions promises to create rich synergies for professional education and policy development. He also announced plans for a new airport in Shillong, which will significantly improve regional connectivity and make the IICA campus more accessible to professionals, faculty, and students from across the country. This infrastructural advancement is expected to further establish Shillong as a leading academic and policy hub in the Northeast.

Calling the initiative historic, Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh, DG & CEO of IICA, described the Shillong campus as “our first baby outside Delhi—a symbol of decentralization and empowerment.” He said that the new campus would play a crucial role in supporting entrepreneurship, capacity building, and good governance in alignment with national priorities such as Ease of Doing Business, Atmanirbhar Bharat, and Vikshit Bharat @2047. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for the Northeast articulated during the Rising North East initiatives, Singh reiterated the Prime Minister’s consistent recognition of the region as the “Ashtalakshmi of India”—a land rich in diversity, talent, and growth potential. He affirmed that IICA is proud to be part of the region’s transformation from a once-remote periphery to a dynamic engine of national growth.

Singh further noted that the Shillong campus embodies the spirit of Prime Minister Modi’s vision of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas.” He explained that the initiative reflects the PM’s mantra of “Transformation by Transportation,” where knowledge institutions and infrastructure together lay the foundation for peace, prosperity, and purpose.

The Shillong campus is being established with a ₹100.95-crore investment under the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North-East (PM-DevINE). It will serve as a regional hub for specialized training, research, and policy advisory in areas such as corporate governance, ESG, corporate social responsibility, insolvency and bankruptcy, competition law, and board leadership. Academic and advisory programmes are scheduled to commence within the current financial year, and construction work is set to begin immediately.

In her address, Deepti Gaur Mukerjee, Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, congratulated all stakeholders and appreciated the proactive and generous support from the Government of Meghalaya. She stated that this partnership reflects the spirit of cooperative federalism and highlights the Centre’s vision of empowering the Northeast as a vital contributor to India’s growth journey.

IICA has already made inroads into the Northeast through training programmes that have benefitted over 300 professionals from the region. The institute also manages the Independent Director Databank, which includes representation from all Northeastern states. Looking ahead, IICA plans to foster academic collaborations with local universities and institutions located in Knowledge City to deliver tailored training programmes, policy support, and capacity-building initiatives designed to meet the socio-economic aspirations of the region.