A few metres down from Kiphire main town traffic point, by the old Kohima Road in Jail ward, men and women of different ages sit in a room waiting for their turn to sit on Aseba T Sangtam’s chair. There is nothing fancy about this chair, it is just pieces of wood planks nailed together and yet it brings happiness to the people who sit on it.

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Aseba T Sangtam was 27 years old when he opened his salon in Kiphire town back in January 2020, soon after he had returned home from Tamil Nadu where he had been employed since 2015. The hairdresser, who hails from Yangsekyu village under Sitimi Area, received his training under MIE (Making India Employable) at Delhi in 2014.

Clients wait at Aseba’s Salon

Aseba begins his day early in the morning so that he is prepared to attend to all his customers. His skills, passion for the work and rapport with all his visitors and customers have earned him a good reputation which is helping his business grow each day.

Speaking to Nagaland Tribune, a regular female client said, “We lovingly call him Ase. He is very sincere in his work and also very friendly, so when my friends and I want to do our hair, we stop by at his salon. His service is excellent.”

There are around 15 barber shops in and around Kiphire Town and Aseba T Sangtam is one of the handful of hairdressers/barbers in not only the town but the entire district who cater to both male and female clients. Most shops only give haircuts to the male customers. The dynamic Aseba, on the other hand, offers various services such as haircuts, hair treatments, eyebrow threading, etc in his humble salon that brings in even more customers.

Presently Aseba does not have an employee and so he handles all the work by himself, which he admitted is quite taxing at times, but this diligent man is not one who gives up.

Aseba said, “Every day is a challenge but when you love what you do, it gives a different kind of satisfaction. Seeing my clients with smiles on their faces makes me happy.”

“I will love to have my own employees someday in the future, and I am working for it,” the hairdresser cum beautician added.

Aseba T Sangtam is confident and hopeful that his salon will do better each day and that he would be able to make a comfortable living out of his passion.