Exhibition on ‘development of education in NE’

A week-long exhibition on the theme “Development of Education in North Eastern India”, organised by National Archives of India (NAI), in collaboration with the state higher education department, began at the Capital Convention Centre, Kohima, on Friday.
The exhibition, being held from August 8-15, 2025, includes visual displays, photographs, multimedia presentations that capture the essence of the educational legacy of Northeast India.
According to a DIPR report, the exhibition is based on various documents, private papers, rare books from NAI New Delhi, department of higher education Nagaland, state archives, department of art and culture Nagaland and other government documents providing a historical context.
In his keynote address, minister of higher education and tourism, Temjen Imna Along, underscored the significance of hosting such an exhibition in the state and said it was “an auspicious and historic moment” for Nagaland.
Imna Along noted that the progress of education in the region has been immense and commendable. Describing Nagaland as a diverse state, the minister said forefathers lived with discipline and wisdom, which needed to be documented. “Despite the absence of a native script, the Naga community has progressed immensely — a testament to divine preservation and the wisdom of our forefathers,” he stressed.
Highlighting the importance of archiving, Imna Along said that archives play a vital role in preserving and documenting the culture and history of a community.
The minister paid tribute to the early Christian missionaries and acknowledged their selfless service in bringing education to the Naga Hills when few dared to venture into the region. He said that it was because of their service that Nagas received education, adding that today Nagaland was the second most literate state in the country.
The minister reminded the students present that true education brings humility. He urged them to stay updated with the latest technological advancements and to be adaptable.
In his address, Dr. Tseilhoutuo Rhutso, MLA, thanked the NAI director general for organizing the exhibition in Nagaland.
He said the exhibition served as an eye-opener and underscored the urgent need for archiving the state’s rich history and cultural legacy. Dr. Rhutso proposed that in the future, a similar exhibition be curated focusing on the important personalities of India.
He also appealed to the NAI, through the ministry of culture, to consider setting up an archives centre in Nagaland. MLA said that such a centre would allow various departments within the state to preserve vital documents, benefitting not only Nagaland but the entire North Eastern region.
NAI director general, Samar Nanda, asserted that preserving culture was key to understanding and shaping the future. He explained that the current exhibition highlighted the journey of education in North East India, particularly in Nagaland. “There is no end to learning; we must continue to adapt to the evolving changes around us,” he said. Nanda said the exhibition offered a valuable glimpse into how education has transformed across India over the decades.
NAI director general expressed hope that more institutions of learning would emerge in the North East, especially in Nagaland, aligning with the vision of “Vikshit Bharat”.
Earlier, minister Temjen Imna Along, inaugurated the exhibition and also launched the Digital Exhibition and the brochure.
This exhibition seeks to capture and present the multifaceted history of education in Northeast India through archival documents, and scholarly materials. It endeavours to illuminate the interplay between indigenous traditions, missionary legacies, colonial frameworks, and modern state policies that collectively shaped the region’s educational institutions.
The inaugural programme was chaired by NAI assistant director and curator of the exhibition, Dr. Devendra Kumar Sharma. The welcome address was delivered by higher and technical education secretary Sarita Yadav, while the vote of thanks was proposed by higher education ex-officio director V. Lovitoly Sema.