A Son’s Promise, a State’s Hope: The Story Behind ROBIN ARMY

“Our youth must stay back in Assam and find opportunities in their own land.”

These words, spoken by popular singer, musician, lyricist, Manas Robin at Shraddhanjali Kanan in Guwahati, were not just a statement at a product launch—they were a reflection of a long-held personal pain that has now taken the shape of a public mission.

Addressing the gathering during the formal launch of the ROBIN ARMY app, Manas Robin took the audience back to his childhood. He spoke about his father, a primary school teacher who later retired as a headmaster, and about a school developed by Bhuban Chandra Gogoi—a name deeply associated with Assam’s legal and educational history. That school, Robin recalled, was once a rare institution where academics and vocational training coexisted, preparing students not only to pass exams but to earn a living.

“Later, when the school was provincialised, vocational training slowly vanished. What remained was only general education from Class I to Class X,” Robin said. His father retired, but with a sense of dissatisfaction. “I could feel that pain even as a child. I understood what might have been going on in his mind. That feeling stayed with me.”

That lingering emotion eventually gave birth to the idea of ROBIN ARMY—an idea that did not arrive quietly. When Robin first shared the concept on Facebook, it invited controversies, debates, and criticism. Yet, as he told the audience, belief outlasted doubt. “Despite everything, I made it,” he said, with visible conviction.

The ROBIN ARMY app, launched at Shraddhanjali Kanan, is envisioned as a single digital platform connecting skilled and semi-skilled local workers with service seekers. Through the app, people can access services ranging from drivers, electricians, plumbers, gardeners, laundry workers, carpenters, beauticians, masseurs, nursing facilities, medical support teams, and many more essential services that form the backbone of everyday life.

At present, around 2,000 people from various districts of Assam are already connected through the platform. Importantly, this is not just a listing app. To ensure reliability and professionalism, Manas Robin has facilitated training programmes across districts, preparing individuals to take up these services with confidence and skill.

Beyond convenience, ROBIN ARMY carries a deeper economic and social message. Robin pointed out that last year alone, nearly 25,000 air-conditioner technicians were brought into Assam from outside the state. With major industrial projects such as the Tata Semiconductor unit now underway, he noted that around 2,500 electricians will be required—jobs that are once again likely to go to workers from other states.

“My aim is to change this trend,” Robin said. “Through this app, I want to create job opportunities for local youth. Our boys and girls should not be forced to leave Assam in search of work, nor should Assam always look outside for manpower.”

In essence, ROBIN ARMY is a response to a long-standing imbalance—the dependence on migrant labour despite the presence of capable local youth. The initiative seeks to redirect opportunity back into Assamese hands, making young people job-oriented, self-reliant, and rooted in their own communities.

The app is now available on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, making it accessible across platforms. But its significance goes beyond technology. It represents an attempt to restore dignity to vocational work, to re-imagine employment not as migration but as participation, and to transform a childhood memory into a collective future.

In a state where conversations around unemployment, migration, and skill gaps continue to dominate public discourse, ROBIN ARMY stands out—not merely as an app, but as a human story of inheritance, responsibility, and hope, driven by the belief that Assam’s future workforce already lives here.

Also Read: Assam: Akhil Gogoi Promises Rs 3,000 Orunodoi Aid to All Women if Voted to Power