New Delhi, Dec 10 : Artisans and entrepreneurs from northeastern states exhibited their work – clothes, bamboo and cane artifacts, artificial flowers and much more in the recently concluded India International Trade Fair (IITF)– 2009, which was held in the national capital.

Featuring nearly 7,500 exhibitors from India and abroad, the IITF is in itself a unique show, in which they got an opportunity to make new business deals and directly sell products to customers across the country.

“Northeast is little bit isolated by other bigger states because we are far away, culture difference, racial difference. So, that way having together we finally know that we are the same. So, it helps in the integrity of the nation,” said Apam Ragui, Nodal Officer, IITF– 09 Manipur Pavilion.

Lulun Toshing, an artisan from Manipur, said: “There’s lot of opportunities and its great to here different responses. If otherwise, if you would stayed in Manipur then we would have no idea about people’s response in different cities, metropolitan cities. So it’s a great exposure and welcoming offers.”

If Nagaland exhibited dry flowers, Tripura pavilion put up attractive bamboo products, handloom and handicrafts items.

The pavilions of Manipur, Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh drew huge crowds with their exotic and exquisite products.

The India International Trade Fair brought them in direct contact with more than a million buyers.

In an era of free market, the business fraternity from northeast wants to explore every avenue. But, affected by instability for several years now, they want insurgent outfits to shun violence.

“I am a very small entrepreneur, they (militants) don’t trouble us, but they go for people who have money, because their ideology is the money. That should be stopped. Initially it was against the Bangladeshis. Now, they all go and stay in Bangladesh. They have taken shelter in Bangladesh – the ULFA and many other outfits. So, what is their ideology?” said Maya Dutta, an entrepreneur from Assam.

The spirits of rural artisans and traders from northeast are sky high and overcoming all hurdles and roadblocks, they are now moving ahead to reach out to bigger markets. (ANI)