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Shillong Literary Festival 2026 Preview: Northeast Culture Shines in Delhi

The Department of Tourism, Government of Meghalaya will host the Shillong Literary Festival 2026 - New Delhi Prelude at Bikaner House on May 8-9. The event serves as a curtain-raiser to the main festival and will feature discussions on literature, ecology, identity, governance, and indigenous traditions. Prominent speakers include Naseeruddin Shah, Shobhaa De, Conrad Sangma, and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Suparna Sharma. The prelude aims to expand the festival's national outreach and promote Meghalaya's culture-led tourism and creative economy.

Key Points: Shillong Literary Festival 2026 Preview in Delhi

  • Two-day prelude event at Bikaner House, Delhi on May 8-9
  • Features discussions on literature, ecology, identity, food, cinema
  • Speakers include Naseeruddin Shah, Shobhaa De, Suparna Sharma
  • Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to converse with journalist Shekhar Gupta
2 min read

Shillong Literary Festival to showcase Meghalaya's cultural and literary spirit in Delhi

Meghalaya tourism brings Shillong Literary Festival prelude to Delhi on May 8-9. Featuring Naseeruddin Shah, Conrad Sangma, and more.

"The festival aims to celebrate literature, culture, dialogue and creative exchange while showcasing Meghalaya's growing prominence as a cultural and creative hub. - Officials"

Shillong, May 6

The Department of Tourism, Government of Meghalaya, will organise the Shillong Literary Festival 2026 - New Delhi Prelude on May 8 and 9 at Bikaner House in the national capital, officials said on Wednesday.

The two-day prelude event is being positioned as a curtain-raiser to the main Shillong Literary Festival and aims to celebrate literature, culture, dialogue and creative exchange while showcasing Meghalaya's growing prominence as a cultural and creative hub.

Launched in 2021 by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma along with former Japanese Ambassador Satoshi Suzuki, the Shillong Literary Festival has emerged as one of the Northeast's major literary and intellectual platforms, bringing together writers, scholars, filmmakers, poets and thinkers from across India and abroad.

Officials said the New Delhi edition will feature discussions on literature, ecology, identity, governance, food, cinema, translation and indigenous traditions, with a special focus on the Northeast and Meghalaya's Khasi and Garo cultural heritage.

The event will host an array of prominent speakers and cultural personalities, including Naseeruddin Shah, Shobhaa De, Maharani Priyadarshini Raje Scindia, Sanjoy Hazarika, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Suparna Sharma, filmmaker Dominic Sangma, director Pradip Kurbah and editor Patricia Mukhim, among others.

A key highlight of the programme will be a conversation between Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and journalist Shekhar Gupta on the opening day.

Other sessions include "The Elephant and the Tragopan", where Naseeruddin Shah will read from Beastly Tales from Here and There by Vikram Seth, and "Shillong On A Plate", a discussion exploring the flavours and culinary traditions of the Northeast.

Another session, "Once Upon a Time At A Literature Festival", will feature Namita Gokhale, Shobhaa De and Sanjoy Hazarika discussing the role of literary festivals as public forums for dialogue and creative engagement.

Visitors will also witness live performances by artists supported under the Chief Minister's Meghalaya Grassroots Music Programme (CM-MGMP).

Officials said Meghalaya has increasingly promoted festivals, experiential tourism and cultural initiatives over the past few years to strengthen tourism, create economic opportunities for youth and position the state as a destination for arts and ideas.

They added that the New Delhi Prelude seeks to expand the festival's national outreach while reinforcing Meghalaya's vision of culture-led tourism and a thriving creative economy driven by literature, music, arts and cultural diplomacy.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

V
Vikram M
This is a brilliant move by the Meghalaya government. The Northeast has always been a treasure trove of stories, but it rarely gets the platform it deserves. I'm particularly excited about the session on "Shillong On A Plate"—the food of the Northeast is so underrated! Hope this translates into more tourism for the region.
R
Rohit L
Good to see Meghalaya promoting its culture, but I hope the benefits actually reach local artists and writers, not just big names. The Grassroots Music Programme sounds promising, but let's see if it creates sustainable livelihoods. Still, better than nothing. 🎭
P
Priya S
As someone from the Northeast living in Delhi, this makes me so proud! The presence of Patricia Mukhim and Dominic Sangma adds authenticity. I just wish more grassroots writers from Meghalaya were featured alongside the big names—that would truly showcase the literary spirit. Still, it's a step in the right direction.
S
Sarah B
So excited for this! I visited Shillong last year and fell in love with the culture. The reading of Vikram Seth's Beastly Tales by Naseeruddin Shah sounds absolutely magical. This prelude in Delhi is a great way to give a taste of Meghalaya's charm to the rest of India.
K
Karthik V
Nice initiative, but I wonder if the Naseeruddin Shah session on "The Elephant and the Tragopan" will also touch on conservation issues—the tragopan is an endangered species in the Northeast. Would be great if literary events like this spark

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