"All Human beings are born as entrepreneurs, Job is a wrong Turn" says Yunus in Knowledge Festival Held in Autonomous Bodoland, Assam

Yunus Centre Press Release (03 March 2023)

Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus was invited as the Chief Guest at the Bodoland Knowledge Festival, held in Kokrajhar, administrative headquarter of Bodoland Autonomous Region of Assam, on February 27 to March 2. He was invited as the State Guest by the Chief Executive of  Bodoland Territorial Council (BTR) Pramod Boro.

In his speech at the inauguration which took place on 27 February,   Professor Yunus said that empowering women by turning them into entrepreneurs is key to the overall development of society and the focus of any government should be to create entrepreneurs and not job seekers. Yunus said Grameen Bank's initiatives could bring a change in Bangladesh by turning women into entrepreneurs. "If 10 million women (borrowers of Grameen Bank) could become entrepreneurs, then we can easily conclude anybody can become an entrepreneur. We just do not give a chance to people to become entrepreneurs. We push them to become job-seeker instead".

The Knowledge Festival was opened by the first Chief Executive of the Autonomous Bodoland Region. It was addressed by Assam assembly speaker Biswajit Daimary, state minister UG Brahma and was attended by 10 Vice Chancellors of Universities in Assam.

The festival focused on the implementing Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030 in BTR, and the world at large. Issues deliberated on included science and technology, indigenous knowledge systems, women empowerment, child rights and protection, peace-building and good governance, and the role of BTR.  More than 300 delegates from across India, and 35 delegates from 14 countries participated in the festival. Besides addressing the Festival, Professor Yunus spoke at the Bodoland College and Bodoland University. He spoke to the students and teachers at  Rangiya College and the Guwahati University. He had an intensive exchange of thoughts on education with the Vice Chancellors of 10 universities in Assam in a special session in the sideline of Bodoland Knowledge Festival.

Bodoland Territorial Region was created through a Peace Treaty in 2020  after almost thirty years of underground armed struggle by Bodos of Assam demanding a separate state for Bodos. Many people gave their lives in this struggle. Under Peace Treaty an Autonomous Bodoland Territorial Region was created under the leadership of Promod Boro who became the first Chief Executive of Autonomous Bodo Territory to ensure autonomy to Bodo people.  "Knowledge Festival" was the first international event organised by the Territorial Council to get connected with the bigger world to find ideas to bring changes for Bodo people.

Professor Yunus was a State Guest in  West Bengal, Assam and Bodoland during his three day visit.

Caption for Photo 1: Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus addressing 1st Bodoland International Knowledge Festival at Bodoland Univeristy in Kokrajhar on 27 February 2023 as Chief Guest.

Caption for Photo 2: Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus graced as Chief Guest the inaugural day of 1st Bodoland International Knowledge Festival at Bodoland University in Kokrajhar on 27 February, 2023.

Caption for Photo 3: The inaugural ceremony of 1st Bodoland International Knowledge Festival was attended by several dignitaries, including Nobel Laureate economist Prof Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh as Chief Guest Padma Shri awardee and philanthropist Savji Bhai Dholakia, SECMOL founder Sonam Wangchuk, Bollywood actor and philanthropist Vivek Oberoi, BTR Chief Pramod Boro, Assam Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary, Assam minister UG Brahma, and Consul General Royal Bhutanese Consulate General Guwahati Jigme Thinlye Namgyl.

Caption for Photo 4: Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus addressing students and teachers at  Rangiya College and the Guwahati University.

Caption for Photo 5: Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus with students and teachers at  Rangiya College and the Guwahati University.

Caption for Photo 6:  During this visit to Bodoland and Assam Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus was in a Parag News  TV program titled “Mejmel with Prasanta Rajguru in Conversation with Nobel Peace Prize awardee Muhammad Yunus”. You can find the full video here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ4i-I_8Vu4

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