At Davos WEF, Assam woman carries Northeast’s trade voice to global stage

Davos, Jan 19: As global business leaders and political heavyweights converge on the snow-lined streets of Davos for the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026, two young Indians are quietly carving out space for grassroots-driven ideas on the world stage, with one of them carrying Assam’s voice to the global conversation.

Among the selected participants is Drishti Medhi from Assam, co-founder of QuickGhy, a digital trade platform aimed at improving market access for India’s blue-collar workforce, particularly indigenous and grassroots communities from the Northeast.

Medhi’s presence at Davos underlines a growing recognition of technology-led solutions emerging from the region.

QuickGhy focuses on simplifying trade and market linkages through technology. The platform uses an AI-powered recommendation model to help traders make informed decisions about commodities, while also addressing gaps in skills, training and empowerment among blue-collar workers.

Medhi’s work is rooted in ensuring that communities from the Northeast are not left out of India’s expanding innovation and trade ecosystem.

Her emphasis on tech development and inclusive growth aligns with the broader narrative of India positioning itself as a global innovation hub, while also amplifying voices from regions that have traditionally remained underrepresented in international trade discussions.

Also sharing the platform at Davos is Ishan Pratap Singh (22), a civic entrepreneur from New Delhi and founder-chairman of Cooperation17, a global social startup working around the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Singh is a World Economic Forum Global Shaper and one of only 40 young leaders worldwide selected to attend the WEF Annual Meeting this year, representing India.

Cooperation17 focuses on addressing civic dysfunctions through citizen engagement, research and on-ground implementation.

Singh works with citizens, institutions, businesses and governments, building cooperation through regional town halls, stakeholder dialogues and public meetings across urban and rural communities in and around Delhi.

At WEF 2026, Singh said his goal is to project India’s development journey as a model of sustained and inclusive growth.

He also stressed the importance of dialogue between differing viewpoints, the responsible use of frontier technologies, and localised implementation of the SDGs to improve cities and communities.

While Singh’s work addresses civic challenges at a national and global level, Medhi’s participation brings a distinctly Northeast-centric perspective to Davos, highlighting Assam’s growing role in innovation, skill development and digital trade.

Together, their presence reflects how young entrepreneurs from diverse parts of India are shaping conversations far beyond the country’s borders.

PTI