New Delhi, May 8: The Shillong Literary Festival (SLF) 2026 made a strong national statement on Friday as its New Delhi Prelude opened to packed audiences and prominent literary, political and cultural personalities at Bikaner House in the national capital.

Organised by the Meghalaya Tourism Department, the two-day prelude marks a major build-up to the main Shillong Literary Festival scheduled to be held in Shillong from November 12 to 14, 2026. The initiative aims to position Meghalaya as a leading destination for literature, culture and creative tourism while showcasing the Northeast’s artistic and intellectual traditions on a national platform.

A key highlight of the opening day was an engaging conversation between Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and senior journalist Shekhar Gupta, where discussions centred on governance, youth aspirations, culture, entrepreneurship and the evolving identity of the Northeast.

During the interaction, Gupta praised the Shillong Literary Festival, saying that despite attending literary festivals across the country, the atmosphere, audience and setting of the Shillong event remain “unmatched.”

Speaking about the vision behind the festival, Sangma said the government was focused on building Meghalaya into a year-round cultural destination through a series of flagship events, including the Cherry Blossom Festival and the literary festival.

“We started off small. Now we are seeing it grow. It has become a calendar event and, more importantly, it is known throughout the country,” the Chief Minister said. He added that taking the festival to Delhi through the prelude would help expand its reach nationally and eventually globally.

The inaugural session also highlighted Meghalaya’s growing creative economy, with discussions on sustainable tourism, entrepreneurship, education reforms and cultural promotion.

Delivering the welcome address, Dr Vijay Kumar D., Commissioner and Secretary, Tourism Department, said the Shillong Literary Festival had evolved into a major platform celebrating the literature, cinema, music and cultural identity of Meghalaya and the wider Northeast.

Referring to Shillong’s cultural appeal, he noted that the city, often called the “Scotland of the East,” transforms into the “Kyoto of the West” during the cherry blossom season — a phrase coined by celebrated author Vikram Seth during his visit to the festival in 2024.

Cinema from the Northeast also took centre stage during the opening day, with acclaimed filmmakers Dominic Sangma and Pradip Kurbah discussing the challenges and opportunities for regional storytelling in conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Suparna Sharma.

The filmmakers highlighted the importance of regional OTT platform “Hello Meghalaya” in supporting independent cinema from the Northeast at a time when access to mainstream platforms remains limited.

The evening’s biggest attraction was legendary actor Naseeruddin Shah, who enthralled audiences with a special reading session titled The Elephant and the Tragopan from Vikram Seth’s Beastly Tales from Here and There. Shah also read works by American writer James Thurber, drawing parallels between nature, morality and human greed.

The festival also celebrated indigenous literary traditions through a session on Khasi and Garo classics. Prof. Streamlet Dkhar read from Khasi literary pioneer U Soso Tham’s Ki Sngi Barim u Hynniewtrep, while Dr Crystal Cornelious D. Marak presented works exploring Garo oral traditions and folklore.

The second day of the festival will feature discussions on literature, ecology, food, translation and identity, with noted speakers including Shobhaa De, Sanjoy Hazarika, Namita Gokhale and Patricia Mukhim.

The opening day concluded with vibrant performances under the Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Grassroots Music Programme, turning Bikaner House into a celebration of Meghalaya’s music, culture and creative spirit.

Also Read: Assam: Books on Bisa Raja reach Japan for preservation and research

Also Watch

Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.

Also, Follow us on

Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub

Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020

Instagram- www.instagram.com/ne_media_hub

Download our app from playstore – Northeast Media Hub