Ukhrul couple on mission to bridge people-business gap
Source: Chronicle News Service / R Lester Makang
Ukhrul, December 19 2024:
Picture a small town where residents have traditionally relied on word-of-mouth recommendations.
In such a scenario, a lack of connections can leave one feeling lost.
Without someone to guide them, people often struggle to find out who to contact or where to turn to for essential services.
Ukhrul is one such town where its growing population is increasingly struggling to access essential services.
This disconnect not only frustrates residents who are in need of assistance but also hampers skilled tradespeople from reaching potential clients.
To address this issue, a local couple has launched an innovative app aimed at connecting residents with local businesses and services.
The app, named 'Yelorack' - an online business directory - was developed by Reisang Risom Mahung, a Computer Science and Engineering graduate with 17 years of software development experience in various industries, including bullion retailing, telecom and construction.
Reisang is joined by his wife, Thotchanphi Khariwo, who brings invaluable business expertise and a customer-focused approach to the project.
Thotchanphi holds a BSc and previously spent a decade in the aviation industry with AirIndia, where she honed her skills in customer relations and operational management.
Hailing from Hungpung village, the young couple officially launched Yelorack LLP on December 8, 2024, following a successful beta launch in September.
Reisang utilises his extensive technical background to innovate and enhance the app, while Thotchanphi oversees operations and customer relations, ensuring that their services meet high standards of quality.
They are also assisted by a young team member, Hungmazhi Zimik.
During a press interview at Wolorim Manor in Dungrei, Hungpung on Wednesday, the couple shared their motivation and vision for Yelorack.
"When we returned home from Bengaluru in September 2020, we noticed the difficulties people faced in accessing various services.
We experienced these challenges ourselves," Reisang explained.
Chipping in, Thotchanphi said that this disconnect inspired them to create a business discovery platform that would benefit both customers and service providers, adding that she and her husband co-founded Yelorack this year to tackle the challenges of navigating the largely unorganised market in the north-eastern region.
"Our mission is to simplify the process of finding and utilising services by offering a comprehensive and user-friendly platform," they stated.
"We aim to connect users with a diverse range of providers efficiently".
Their vision is to establish Yelorack as the go-to platform for discovering quality services and products.
The couple revealed that they have registered 169 local businesses and service providers across various categories, including construction, event management, tutoring, catering, agriculture, and tourism, crafts and arts, sports, livestock, agriculture products, tourism, health, legal, etc.
"To ensure our platform serves the community, we are currently registering local businesses free of charge," Reisang noted, adding: "Our focus is on providing value to the people first, rather than generating revenue." Reisang's previous experience includes co-founding the erstwhile Foodyez LLP in 2016, an online marketplace that showcased north-eastern delicacies in Bengaluru.
He said this previous venture inspired him to develop the Yelorack app, which combines user-friendly design with advanced technology, offering features like personalised recommendations and localised service discovery.
Since its official launch, Yelorack app has been downloaded 2,000 times, and the couple is hopeful it will become a vital tool for boosting local economic activity and fostering community support.
To maintain quality and prevent fraud, the app requires sellers and business owners to undergo KYC registration, while users can sign up easily, informed Hungmazhi.
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