1-Dec-2022: Vice President inaugurates the 23rd edition of Hornbill Festival
The Vice President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar today inaugurated the 23rd edition of Hornbill Festival at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama near the state capital, Kohima. The Vice President, sounded the Inauguration Gong along with the Governor & the Chief Minister of the Nagaland to declare the "Festival of Festivals" open.
Shri Dhankhar, who arrived on his maiden tour to Nagaland as the Vice President, was felicitated with Tsiiphie (traditional Naga headgear) & Amula kaxa (Naga shawl) at the opening ceremony.
Addressing the gathering, the Vice President said that India is a land of culture & Indians are proud of their tribal culture.
Praising Nagas for their unique culture and glorious history, Shri Dhankhar said, "I salute tribal culture. I salute tribal energy."
Describing natural beauty of the state as enchanting, he underlined that the state has great tourism potential which needs to be tapped fully.
Lauding Nagaland for having lowest crime rate against the women in the country, the Vice President said that the state is showing way in women empowerment.
Noting that India has assumed the presidency of G-20 from today, Shri Dhankhar said that the world will be able to experience Naga hospitality when a meeting of G20 will be held in the state in April next year. On this occasion, Vice President also released a postage stamp to commemorate the festival.
After inauguration of Hornbill Festival, the Vice President visited Art Gallery and Morungs at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama.
Earlier in the day, the Vice President met with the Governor of Nagaland, Prof. Jagdish Mukhi, Chief Minister, Shri Neiphiu Rio, Deputy Chief Minister, Shri Y Patton and the Council of Ministers at Raj Bhawan, Kohima.
7-Dec-2019: Hornbill festival a symbol of Northeast India.
The Union Minister of State (IC) for Development of Northeastern Region ( DoNER), Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Pension and Public Grievances, Atomic Energy & Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh attended the ongoing Hornbill festival at Kisama near state capital Kohima.
Addressing a colourful cultural programme , Dr. Jitendra Singh said Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given the highest priority to Northeast and to state like Nagaland in the last five years. While stating that Prime Minister Modi visited Northeast more than 30 times in five years , Dr. Singh said the Prime Minister has described Northeast as new engine of New India. He said because of the Prime Minister’s personal indulgence and personal outreach, northeastern culture, food, dance and music have reached every part of the country.
While stating that Nagaland has become the ambassador of Northeast for the rest of India through the medium of Hornbill festival, Dr. Singh said, the festival has become a new torch bearer of a new cultural journey of northeast which is going to unite entire India with a message from a state like Nagaland.
Earlier, Union Minister of State (IC) for Youth Affairs & Sports and Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju also attended the ongoing Hornbill festival. He said the Prime Minister of India is giving special emphasis for Northeastern Region and for the Naga people. He said the Act East Policy is taking shape. Basic infrastructure, which is the foundation for better development, is being laid and in the next few years we will see the result.
Maintaining that Nagaland has the potential to become one of the hub for adventure activities, Shri Rijiju said besides sports, his ministry wants to promote adventure activities in Nagaland to ensure that youth are engaged in gainful employment. Pointing out that Hornbill festival has become a symbol of Northeast India, the Minister also assured to extend help to promote indigenous sports of Northeast.
Various Cultural troupe, dressed in their colourful traditional attires, performed songs and dances during the event.
4-Dec-2019: Hornbill festival 2019
The Union Minister of State for Tourism & Culture (I/C) Shri Prahlad Singh Patel today participated in the ongoing Hornbill festival at Kisama, near state capital Kohima.
Addressing the gathering at a colourful cultural function in Kisama, Mr. Patel said festivals are a reflection of one’s cultural identity and heritage. While acknowledging the rich and unique cultural identity of Nagas, the Union Minister of State for Tourism and culture said that Government of India will extend all possible help to preserve and promote the rich cultural traditions and heritage of Nagas. Various cultural songs and dances were presented by different tribes during the event.
Earlier, The Union Minister graced the traditionally important stone pulling ceremony at Mima Village, near Kisama. Mr. Patel, accompanied by the Chief Minister of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio, took part in the in the event by marching along with hundreds of people dressed in their colourful traditional attires.
1-Dec-2019: Hornbill makes history with Gandhi
Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio today inaugurated the Multi Media Exhibition commemorating the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi at the Hornbill Festival in Kisama near Kohima, Nagaland. The 10-day event is being organised for the first time ever by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting at the Nagaland's annual Hornbill festival. The exhibition is being organised by the Bureau of Outreach & Communication, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting to present Gandhian values and principles both to the people and through the people in a contemporary idiom. The multimedia exhibition is being organised as a series of events across the country to take the message of the Father of the Nation to people in an interactive manner.
The exhibition also features a pavilion of rare photographs of an eminent Gandhian of Nagaland, Late Shri Natwar Thakkar. The Chief Minister felicitated the family of Late Natwar Thakkar during the inaugural function.
Late Shri Natwar Thakkar, Popularly Known as Nagaland’s Gandhi, made significant contributions towards the betterment of our society. He made Nagaland his home and founded the Nagaland Gandhi Ashram at Chuchuyimlang village in Mokokchung district of Nagaland in 1955 to propagate Gandhian philosophy and peace. He worked tirelessly for the poor and people affected with disability. His works include vocational training for social dropouts and physically handicapped, primary schools in villages, medical centers and libraries. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999.
The exhibition will be showcased during the entire period of the Hornbill festival till 10 of December.
1-Dec-2018: Union Home Minister inaugurates Hornbill Festival in Kohima
The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurated the hugely popular Hornbill Festival 2018 in Kohima today, coinciding with the Formation Day of Nagaland. Addressing the gathering, the Union Minister said that the annual Hornbill Festival is a spectacular event showcasing the rich ancient culture and civilization of the people of Nagaland. It powerfully demonstrates the cultural diversity and civilizational unity of the people.
Expressing his gratitude to the Government of Nagaland for expanding similar festivals to other parts of the State where mini-Hornbill Festivals are celebrated from time to time, Shri Rajnath Singh said it will vastly enhance the popular participation in it and enlarge the arc of happiness. This festival will help the countrymen to understand the cultural richness of the Nagas. Folk songs and dances are essential ingredients of the traditional Naga culture. Tradition is kept alive through songs and folk tales and very often romantic and historical themes are sung and stories of famous ancestors told. Seasonal songs, which describe various activities done in a particular agricultural season and war dances are also an intrinsic art form in Nagaland.
Hornbill Festival offers unique opportunity not only to the different tribes of the State to interact with each other and exhibit their cultural heritage but also with those from the neighbouring and other States in the true spirit of “Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat”. Given the rich cultural heritage of Nagaland, Government of India has established the North Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre at Dimapur, Nagaland. The North Eastern Council (NEC) has also funded the infrastructure for the Margaret Shikshak School of Music at Patkai Christian College, Dimapur.
NEC is building a North Eastern Cultural and Information Centre in Delhi. The proposed centre would showcase rich history, culture, heritage and cuisine of the eight States in the North East. It will also establish facilities for promotion of tourism, a Common Facility Centre, Library, Knowledge and Resource Centre in the National Capital. This Centre would facilitate dissemination of knowledge about the rich cultural heritage of the North East.
The Union Home Minister mentioned the importance of how the powerful forces of modern technology, economy and trade are shaping the new world and the new world order. Old templates of geopolitics are crumbling to the emerging new and somewhat uncertain templates of geo-economics, largely driven by modern technologies. Even the old political ideas and beliefs are being given new meaning by these forces of change.
The forces of change are inevitable and will not wait for anyone. We have to be prepared for it. If we are prepared for it, we will shape the future according to our wish. If we are not prepared for it, we will be shaped by these forces, may be even against our wish. The challenge of the day is to grasp and master these forces. India is geared to grasp and master these forces. The main driver of this is our youth. Our challenge is to make them capable enough to be the master of our better tomorrow. Nearly half the Indian population is young. Similar is the demographic profile of Nagaland. While we are all rightly proud of our rich and glorious past, we also have to create conditions conducive for our rich future. Nearly 50% of Nagaland population is below 25 years. It is they who will shape the future of India including the future of Nagaland. We have to create conditions where their creative and entrepreneurial potential is unleashed to the optimum.
Expressing his happiness that Nagaland State is going to get its first Medical College under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Home Minister said Rs. 300 crores has been sanctioned for this purpose. NEC has also funded setting up of a North East Regional Multi-Disciplinary Paramedical Institute, Dimapur at a cost of about Rs. 50 crores. Besides, over the years Government of India has executed a large number of other projects in Nagaland leading to the path of faster and all-round development of the state.
While we must celebrate the past at the Hornbill, we should also celebrate the present and the future with several festivals of skills and creativity of our youth. Nagaland is geographically located at a vantage point. It is the gateway to the South-East Asia. North-East is the pivot of our Government’s ‘Act East’ policy. Today, we are at the best of relations with our neighbour Myanmar. On the bedrock of our shared cultural and civilizational linkages with Myanmar, we have also a large spectrum of shared interests. Government of India is determined to build and improve our connectivity and engagement with South-East Asia. Today, India and ASEAN are partners in growth. The story of this growth will be written by our youths of the North-East region. Central government has opened a bright new chapter in the growth story of North-East region. It is heartening to know that development of a four-lane road, the main artery from Dimapur to the State Capital Kohima, which was promised by the then Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, is in full swing and it will be completed soon. With remarkable restoration of peace, North-East is emerging as a favoured destination of businesses and tourists. I am happy to know that the police and the tourism department of Nagaland Government have started the Tourist Police. I am sure it will help lift Nagaland to another level where visitors from outside will go back with a lot of happy stories of the state and the region.
For the last few years, India is making faster progress in all socioeconomic sectors and the country has emerged as the fastest growing major economy in the world with the current ranking being sixth. “We are expected to be one of the top three economic powers of the world in next 10-15 years. India has recently overtaken the economy of France and is soon expecting to exceed the GDP of United Kingdom. Steps are also being taken for speedier development of North-Eastern Region, including Nagaland. We believe that nation can prosper only when all the States develop at a faster pace. Nagaland has suffered for a long time. On the 56th Anniversary of the State, I call upon all my friends of this State to take long strides for the rapid economic growth of the country as well as that of Nagaland and make all of us proud Indians to be contributors in making India a world power.
1-Dec-2017: President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurates Hornbill Festival in Nagaland.
The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated the Hornbill Festival and State Formation Day celebrations of Nagaland today (December 1, 2017) in Kisama.
The Hornbill Festival is the perfect showcase of rich Naga culture and traditions, preserved over the years in the form of music, dance and food. The Hornbill Festival at Kisama and the International Music Festival represent the diversity of Naga society.
The past half-century has been one of both achievements and difficulties for Nagaland. The people of the state have come through many trials, but their essential talent and wisdom, and their essential goodness, has been so apparent. Today Nagaland is at the edge of making history. After years of insurgency, there is hope. With the support of the people of the state, of civil society institutions and all stake-holders, there is an opportunity for lasting peace. He expressed confidence that a final agreement – one that is fair to all and meets the expectations and aspirations of all – will be reached soon.
The President said that the youth of Nagaland are the pride of the country. They are the true legatees of Dr T. Ao, the doctor-sportsperson who was the first captain of our national football team after Independence, leading the team in the London Olympics of 1948. Young people from Nagaland are role models for the rest of India. An illustrious daughter of this state, Temsutula Imsong has won the hearts of the nation for her remarkable work in cleaning the Ghats of the river Ganga in Varanasi. Another Naga girl – Chiewelou Thele – was adjudged the best trainee commando in her batch of police officers of Delhi Police. And as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, the President said he is immensely proud of our Naga soldiers and officers. They are among the best we have.
The President said that Nagaland has so much to offer. The strength of the state lies in its organic farm produce, flowers and fruits. Nagaland has rare medicinal plants and herbs that can help create jobs and boost the economy. He mentioned Naga jolokia, called King Chilli locally, one of the hottest chilli peppers of the world, and said we need to bottle it into one of the hottest selling sauces of the world. He stated that Nagaland has also the potential to be an attractive tourist destination, offering a unique blend of heritage and culture and spectacular natural beauty.
The President said that our country is making great strides and is among the world’s fastest growing economies. We are also a diverse nation. Our linguistic, ethnic, religious and geographical variety makes India special – and this is our biggest strength. It is an exciting time to be an Indian. And it is an exciting time to be a Naga. Nagaland and the Northeast are central to the India story. Without the development of Nagaland, the development of India will be incomplete.