Trade fair: Cultural heritage meets industrial progress at Assam Pavilion

At the India International Trade Fair (IITF)-2024, the Assam Pavilion has emerged as a standout exhibit, captivating visitors with its innovative design and rich cultural heritage.

Reflecting the theme of the fair, “Viksit Bharat@2047”, Assam’s display is a harmonious blend of tradition and modernity, showcasing the state’s rich history, its industrial strides and its ambitious vision for the future.

The pavilion’s entrance, a stunning tribute to Assam’s cultural and industrial evolution, is designed to evoke the grandeur of the Kamakhya Temple, one of Assam’s most iconic landmarks. However, it is not just a conventional temple representation — this entryway takes the form of a unique spherical structure resembling a semiconductor replica tunnel. The design symbolises Assam’s growing role in the tech and industrial sectors, and its alignment with the nation’s vision of a developed India by 2047.

“The idea for this entryway comes from Assam’s recent leap into the semiconductor industry. Tata Group’s investment of Rs 27,000 crore in a semiconductor assembly and testing plant in Assam is a significant development,” said Debajit Phukon, director of the Assam Pavilion. “We’ve named this entryway ‘Pragati Path’ — a symbol of the state’s industrial progress and its journey towards a future of growth and innovation,” he added.

As visitors step into the pavilion, they are immediately struck by the rustic beauty of a model eco-house, nestled on the left side of the hall. This bamboo house is an exemplary piece crafted by artisans from the North East Society for Handicraft Incubation & Livelihood Promotion (NE-SHILP). The structure, made entirely from bamboo — a material widely found in the region — highlights Assam’s commitment to sustainable, eco-friendly designs. According to Rajesh, a representative from the stall, this bamboo-based design has broad potential across sectors, including resorts, offices, restaurants and residential homes.

“We’ve already had 7-8 inquiries from people interested in incorporating this unique bamboo style into their designs,” Rajesh shared.

Bamboo, tea, perfume attract visitors

The pavilion’s entrance is designed to evoke the grandeur of the Kamakhya Temple

A model bamboo eco-house, nestled on the left side of the hall, highlights Assam’s commitment to sustainable, eco-friendly designs

The use of gold as the dominant colour theme is symbolic of Assam’s goal to become a “golden state” by 2047 — a prosperous, self-reliant region contributing to India’s growth

A special highlight of the pavilion is the stall dedicated to Assam’s perfume industry, specifically those derived from agarwood.

The pavilion’s layout reflects Assam’s diverse cultural and industrial offerings, with the use of gold as the dominant colour theme. This choice, according to pavilion officials, is symbolic of Assam’s goal to become a “golden state” by 2047 — a prosperous, self-reliant region contributing to India’s growth. The exhibition features a variety of stalls showcasing Assam’s strength in industries like handloom, bamboo and cane products, tea, brass metal works, terracotta, woodcraft and food processing.

One of the largest producers of bamboo in India, Assam showcases its wide array of bamboo products — from furniture to crafts. The floor of the pavilion is made entirely of bamboo, reinforcing the state’s identity as a key player in the bamboo industry.

One of the most fascinating features of the pavilion is the semiconductor tunnel, which takes visitors through a historical timeline of Assam’s industrial development. “This tunnel not only celebrates the modern strides Assam is making in industries like semiconductors, but also takes people on a journey through Assam’s history — from the establishment of tea plantations in the 1830s to the discovery of oil in 1898 and the onset of coal mining,” Phukon explained.

A special highlight of the pavilion is the stall dedicated to Assam’s perfume industry, specifically those derived from agarwood. Assam’s first licensed manufacturing and retail store for perfumes, MJI Perfumes, has garnered significant attention. The stall offers a range of fragrances made from agarwood, a highly aromatic resin produced by a tree that naturally undergoes infection, causing it to release this valuable resin.

“The perfume made from Agarwood is highly prized—it’s so valuable that it is often compared to gold,” explained Dhritiman Bharadwaj, the deputy pavilion director.

“This particular unit has also patented a process to artificially induce the infection in the trees, allowing us to produce perfumes more sustainably. The Assam government supports this sector through its Assam Agarwood Promotion Policy,” he added.

Adjacent to the perfume stall, a solar panel installation demonstrates the state’s commitment to green energy. The pavilion also features a segment dedicated to healthcare, showcasing Assam’s plan to establish two cancer institutes by 2047, as part of its vision to improve the health and wellbeing of its citizens.

Assam is, of course, best known for its world-renowned tea, and the pavilion boasts multiple tea stalls, each offering a variety of specialised brews. Navajyoti Bhuyan, a representative from the Directorate of Tea, said, “We focus on promoting small tea growers of Assam. Our tea is organic and freshly sourced from Assam’s tea gardens.”

“We’ve created special blends like green tea, blue tea with aprajita flowers and jasmine tea to highlight the traditional values of Assam’s tea culture,” Bhuyan added.

The pavilion also offers visitors a chance to experience virtual reality (VR) games, a popular attraction for younger visitors.

As part of the ongoing trade fair, Assam will host a special ‘Assam Day’ on November 22 at the Bharat Mandapam, where visitors can enjoy performances by renowned artists. The evening will feature a variety of cultural performances, including Bihu dance, Satriya dance, Tiwa and Karbi folk dances, and a solo performance by singing sensation Neel Akash.

Bimal Borah, Minister for Industries and Commerce, Public Enterprise and Cultural Affairs, Government of Assam, will grace the event as the chief guest.