Sikkim’s Yakten declared India’s first digital nomad village

Yakten, a village in Sikkim’s Pakyong district, was officially declared India’s first digital nomad village on Monday (July 14, 2025).

A collaboration between the district administration and NGO Sarvahitey under the ‘Nomad Sikkim’ initiative, the project aims to transform strategic locations in the Himalayan State into year-round hubs for digital professionals across India and abroad, while ensuring sustainable income opportunities for homestay owners.

Officials said the initiative was fuelled by Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang’s concern over the lack of steady income for homestay operators during the off-season, which may stretch for six months from April-May.

“If we ensure stable internet and electricity, remote workers will come to stay in the serene environs regardless of the season,” Pakyong District Collector Rohan Ramesh said at a function to launch the project.

He said the district authorities have installed two internet lines and ensured village-wide Wi-Fi connectivity, apart from providing inverters to maintain uninterrupted electricity. He added that a long-term solution to address water scarcity in the village about 32 km from the State’s capital, Gangtok, has been planned under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

Gyan Bahadur Subba, the president of Yakten Village Tourism Cooperative Society, hoped the initiative would end the struggle of homestay operators and other service providers to stay afloat. “Alongside promoting this initiative, the government needs to resolve drinking water and other basic issues,” he told journalists.

MLA Pamin Lepcha, who represents Gnathang-Machong constituency, attended the launch programme.