By Sabina Yasmin Rahman
On May 23, 2024, the North East Facts Network (NEFN) of BOOM Live hosted a compelling 90-minute virtual event, "Data Demos: North East Edition." The session, aimed at enhancing data literacy and sourcing credible information for the northeastern states of India, featured a series of rapid-fire presentations and interactive Q&A sessions with a distinguished panel of data experts and practitioners.
Diving into Northeast India's Data Landscape
Dr. Tumbenthung Y Humtsoe, an economist with the Government of Nagaland and author of Urban Mobility Development in Northeast India, kicked off the event. Dr. Humtsoe highlighted the pressing issues of data scarcity and unreliability in the region. He argued that the lack of detailed economic data, like district domestic product (DDP), hampers effective research and policymaking. His call to action? Recognise data as a public good, essential for informed governance and public benefit.
Aditi Roy Bhowmick, a PhD student at Harvard Kennedy School and former India Director at Development Data Lab, followed with practical advice for data enthusiasts. She emphasised the importance of "triangulation" — cross-referencing multiple data sources to avoid pitfalls like overcounting and underreporting. Bhowmick guided attendees through accessing various public data types, from administrative to satellite data, while underscoring the need for contextual understanding to make sense of these resources.
Rukmini S, a prominent data journalist and founder of Data for India, continued the conversation with a focus on critically analysing Indian public datasets. Rukmini pointed out how small sample sizes for northeastern states can distort analyses, often leading to the homogenisation of distinct regional identities. She advised data users to scrutinise these large datasets carefully, highlighting the gaps and biases they may contain, especially for underrepresented regions and populations.
Abhinav Singh, Tech Lead at CivicDataLab, closed the session with an insightful demo on climate data usage. Singh showcased the Intelligent Data Solution - Disaster Risk Reduction (IDS-DRR), a tool designed and tested to aid flood management in Assam. He discussed the challenges of working with fragmented and inconsistent climate data, sharing his approach to unifying and processing these datasets to support disaster resilience. His hands-on tips emphasised collaboration with local teams and starting with clear use cases to effectively harness data for strategic decisions.
Engaging Conversations and Active Participation
The event saw high engagement from participants, who actively interacted with the speakers during and after their presentations. The lively Q&A sessions revealed a keen interest in practical data applications and solutions tailored to the unique challenges of the northeastern region.
Overall, the "Data Demos: North East Edition" by BOOM’s North East Facts Network provided a valuable platform for exchanging ideas and best practices in data literacy and usage. The insights shared by the panellistsData Demos for Northeast India: Insights from BOOM’s North East Facts Network Event
underscored the critical role of reliable data in driving informed decision-making and development in Northeast India.
