RAI Boosts Retail Growth with 3rd North East Retail Summit in Guwahati
The Retailers Association of India (RAI) successfully hosted the 3rd North East Retail Summit (NERS) 2025 in Guwahati, highlighting the region’s emerging retail potential. The summit aimed to build a collaborative and innovation-driven ecosystem for the retail sector across the seven North-Eastern states: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram.
Designed as a strategic platform, NERS 2025 fostered dialogue between industry leaders, retail professionals, and regional stakeholders to address localized challenges and unlock future growth opportunities.
Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO of RAI, emphasized the market potential in Northeast India, noting the consumers’ awareness of global trends and multilingual adaptability. However, he also pointed out logistical hurdles caused by political factors. He encouraged retailers to collaborate with local partners to deliver seamless customer experiences, and noted that the Northeast offers a strong talent pool that can support retail employment and expansion.
The summit featured insightful sessions covering themes such as:
- Effective Marketing Tools and Strategies
- Driving Real Business Outcomes through Strategy
- Regional Success Stories and the Current State of Northeast Retail
Notable speakers from the local retail landscape included Vikram Bothra (Chandan Retail), Kunal Mordani (Tanishkaa Retails), Raja Gohain (MG Solutions), Manish Jain (Gangwal Furniture), Subhash Soni (MNJ Jewellers), and Gaurav Sureka (Maa Kamakhya Retails).
Vikram Bothra, MD of Chandan Retail and Chairman of RAI’s Northeast Chapter, underlined the grassroots nature of the retail sector in the region. He stressed that success in the Northeast requires commitment and patience, along with strategies tailored to local cultures. Despite infrastructure gaps, he expressed strong optimism about the next five years being transformative for the regional retail sector.
Raja Gohain, Director at MG Solutions, spoke about integrating national retail best practices—like digital payments and efficient supply chains—while remaining sensitive to local customs and consumer behaviors. His approach combines scale with personalization to better serve Northeast shoppers.
Kunal Mordani, Director of Tanishkaa Retails, highlighted shifting consumer expectations driven by rising disposable incomes. He stressed the importance of technology adoption, quick commerce, and data analytics to align inventory with regional festivals and seasonal trends. According to him, adaptability and customer focus are key to succeeding in this high-potential market.
NERS 2025 further solidified its reputation as a transformative platform for regional retail, nurturing partnerships and sustainable growth. The event was co-powered by Infinity, Go Beyond, and supported by Askaran Binjraj as Gold Partner. Other partners included Retailers Association of Assam (Ecosystem Partner), TRRAIN (Charity Partner), Storai (Magazine Partner), and Replenish (Digital Marketing Partner).