Nagaland secured the second runner-up position at the North East Regional Competition of the Bharat Vikas Parishad (BVP) National Group Song Competition (NGSC) 2026, held on October 4 at Matangini Pritilata Auditorium, Agartala, Tripura.
Tripura secured the first position, while Sikkim emerged as the first runner-up in the regional competition, which brought together young talents from across the Northeast through music, culture and group singing.
A special highlight of the competition was the Nagaland team’s presentation of a traditional Sumi folk song. The performance showcased the cultural heritage of the Sumi community and received appreciation from the gathering and the judges. The participants presented the traditional song with confidence and teamwork, adding a distinctive cultural element to the competition. The Nagaland team comprised Limae Sema, Sulika Chishi, Tonushree Kundu, Sneha Bhattacharjee, Dristi Sonowal and Shayan Ghosh, with Anshumaan Roy Chowdhury accompanying the team on music. Mrs. Sumi Ghosh took the lead in guiding and preparing the team for the competition.
The National Group Song Competition is one of the flagship activities under BVP’s “Sanskar” programme. Initiated in Delhi in 1967, the NGSC has since grown into a nationwide cultural initiative involving students from Classes VI to XII.
Through group singing, the programme seeks to promote discipline, teamwork, patriotism, character building, cultural pride and national unity. The North East regional competition similarly provided students from different states and communities an opportunity to present their respective cultural traditions while coming together on a common platform. The programme was graced by Cabinet Minister for Higher Education, Panchayat and General Administration (Political) Kishore Barman, Government of Tripura, as the chief guest. Vice-Chancellor, Professor Debabrata Das attended as the guest of honour, while former Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, Justice S.C. Das was presented as a distinguished guest.
According to a press release senior BVP office-bearers and representatives from across the Northeast also attended the programme including BVP Regional General Secretary and Regional Convenor, Sanskar, Dr. Muneendra Mishra; National Gatividhi Member, Sewa, Dr. Shubhadee Roychoudhury; Regional Joint General Secretary, Biswajyoti Dey; Regional Convenor, Sanskar, Bishnu Bhattacharjee; BVP Dimapur President, Ganesh Sharma; Niranjan Saha; and BKJ Convenor, Dimapur, Angshik Sharma Biswas.
The competition reflected the theme of “Unity Through Culture”, with traditional music and group singing serving as a platform for interaction among students from different linguistic, cultural and geographical backgrounds.
The participation of Nagaland and its presentation of the Sumi folk song also highlighted the state’s cultural diversity at the regional level. The programme provided the young participants an opportunity to represent their traditions while developing cooperation, discipline and a sense of national integration.
The BVP, through its Sanskar initiatives, continues to organise programmes aimed at nurturing young talent and promoting the values of unity in diversity and national integration among students.
