Yakten in Sikkim Becomes India’s First Digital Nomad Village

Quick Summary

• Yakten, a village in Sikkim’s Pakyong district, was declared India’s first digital nomad village on July 14, 2025.
• The initiative is part of the ‘Nomad Sikkim’ project by the district governance and NGO Sarvahitey.
• Digital nomad villages are designed to attract remote workers year-round while providing enduring income for homestay owners.
• Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang raised concerns about off-season income problems faced by homestay operators (lasting up to six months).
• Infrastructure upgrades in Yakten include two internet lines, village-wide Wi-Fi connectivity, uninterrupted electricity via inverters, and water scarcity solutions under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
• Gyan Bahadur Subba from Yakten Village Tourism Cooperative Society expressed hope for resolving economic struggles while urging focus on basic issues like drinking water.
• MLA Pamin Lepcha attended the launch event.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The designation of Yakten as India’s first digital nomad village reflects an innovative approach to rural development tailored to modern work trends. This infrastructural transition-focused on sustained internet and electricity access-seeks to mitigate seasonal revenue loss for locals reliant on tourism thru steady inflows of remote-working professionals.

By addressing core challenges like water scarcity alongside digital workplace needs,this model could position Sikkim as a leader in integrating tourism with technology-driven work lifestyles.While official measures are commendable, achieving long-term benefits will require consistent maintenance of utilities and responsiveness to community concerns highlighted during implementation.

Link for read more: The Hindu