IICA Launches First Regional Campus in Shillong to Empower North-East India

In a landmark move to decentralize capacity building and strengthen regional corporate governance, the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, has officially acquired a five-acre land parcel in the New Shillong Township, Meghalaya, for establishing its first-ever regional campus. This initiative marks a historic expansion of IICA’s institutional footprint beyond Delhi and signals the Government of India’s sustained commitment to inclusive growth and nation-building from the grassroots.

Ceremony Highlights National and Regional Collaboration

The formal land handover ceremony was jointly presided over by Shri Donald Phillips Wahlang, Chief Secretary of Meghalaya, and Ms. Deepti Gaur Mukerjee, Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Also present were Shri Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh, Director General & CEO, IICA; Shri Inderdeep Singh Dhariwal, Joint Secretary, MCA; Shri C.V.D. Diengdoh, Commissioner & Secretary, Planning Department; and (Col.) Amandeep Singh Puri from IICA, alongside senior officials from both governments.

The land handover was ceremonially completed by Shri K. Hynniewta, Joint Secretary, Planning Department, Meghalaya, and Shri Shekhar Srivastava, Deputy Secretary, Government of India.

Shillong: An Emerging Knowledge and Policy Hub

Chief Secretary Wahlang hailed the occasion as a transformative step in Meghalaya’s educational and economic development. He emphasized that IICA’s new campus would be located within the Knowledge City cluster, already home to prestigious institutions such as:

• Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Shillong

• National Law University, Meghalaya

• National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT)

He noted that a new airport is being planned in Shillong, which will enhance regional connectivity and catalyze further investment in the state’s knowledge economy. “We are building not just a city, but a vision for India’s Northeast to become a national driver of academic, professional, and economic excellence,” he said.

A Symbol of Empowerment and Decentralization

Describing the moment as “historic,” IICA’s DG & CEO Shri Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh referred to the Shillong campus as “our first baby outside Delhi—a symbol of decentralization and empowerment.”

He linked the initiative directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for the Northeast, who has long described the region as the “Ashtalakshmi of India”—a reference to the eight states’ untapped economic and cultural potential. “We at IICA are proud to contribute to transforming the Northeast from a remote periphery into a vibrant center of governance and innovation,” he said.

Shri Singh emphasized the initiative’s alignment with national goals like:

• Ease of Doing Business

• Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India)

• Viksit Bharat @ 2047 (Vision for a Developed India)

He also echoed the Prime Minister’s mantra of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas,” affirming that the Shillong campus is more than a facility—it’s a strategic anchor for regional transformation.

Backed by PM-DevINE, Built for the Future

The Shillong campus is funded under the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North-East (PM-DevINE), with a sanctioned investment of ₹100.95 crore. The regional campus will serve as a hub for training, research, and policy advisory in key domains:

• Corporate Governance & Board Leadership

• Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)

• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

• Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC)

• Competition Law and Legal Reforms

Construction is set to begin immediately, and academic activities are expected to launch within the current fiscal year.

Strengthening the Academic Ecosystem in the North-East

Secretary Ms. Deepti Gaur Mukerjee applauded the Government of Meghalaya for its generous and proactive support. She remarked that the partnership reflects “true cooperative federalism”, and reiterated the Centre’s vision of empowering the North-East as a growth engine for a future-ready India.

The IICA has previously conducted regional training sessions that benefitted over 300 professionals from Northeastern states, and continues to operate the Independent Director Databank, with notable participation from the region.

Building Ethical Entrepreneurs and Responsible Leaders

With the establishment of this campus, IICA is set to play a long-term role in developing ethical entrepreneurs, skilled professionals, and informed policymakers in the North-East. It will also initiate collaborative programmes with local universities, offering tailor-made training and policy advisory services to match regional aspirations.

The Shillong campus will function as an anchor institution in knowledge transfer, leadership development, and regulatory education, making Meghalaya a key player in India’s evolving corporate governance landscape.

As India looks to Viksit Bharat @ 2047, this move by IICA signals not just an institutional expansion but a larger civilizational investment in people, partnerships, and purpose—right from the heart of the Northeast.