Shillong, Sep. 3 : The recent opening of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in Shillong, the first in the entire region, has aroused interest among the youth here and from neighbouring States.

NIFT, which is considered to the be ''Mecca'' of learning for budding fashion designers, is believed to enable youngsters in this part of the country to hone their latent abilities and give their creativity an expression.

Payarka Senoy, a student from Mumbai, said: "Shillong is picking up. Honestly, youth wise, there are lots of educational institutes, schools and colleges here. In fact St. Edmunds, and St. Mary''s, there''s an IIT, an IIM, there''s another fashion institution. So when NIFT is a part of all this, it''s just building youth culture here and getting education and spreading education in any part of India is a good thing."

Huangpi Rani Gogoi, an Assamese student, said: "It is a pleasure to grab the opportunity to learn here especially all the traditions, flourishing all over the place and also the opportunities and peaceful environment that we have here to be a successful designer."

In the first batch for four-year undergraduate course in fashion and accessory designing, there are 35 students, many of them from different parts of the northeast.

For these fashion enthusiasts, establishment of the institute has opened the door for realizing their long cherished dream of learning the best in fashion technology and enhancing their latent skills.

The NIFT''s branch in Shillong also has boarding facilities. It is planning to incorporate seven designing programmes along with post graduation and short term courses, being provided in other centers.

Opening of NIFT will not only benefit local students but candidates from other parts of the country can also avail of it as an opportunity to understand the northeast.

It will help in promoting cultural interaction and also bringing to limelight various local designs, which are still unknown in other parts of the country.

Sonam Kazi, one of the faculty members at the NIFT, said: "It''s a good exposure in this part and since it''s the first time. So I think it will actually add up to the locality whatever things that we do. We will be actually interacting with local craftsman and people. We are trying to develop in these areas."

It is not like that a national educational institution has been established in Shillong for the first time. Premier educational institutes like the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) are already here. (ANI)