North East Integration Rally reaches Imphal

North East Integration Rally (NEIR) which began its journey from West Bengal’s Kolkata on January 4 reached Imphal on Tuesday.
The rally organized by KRC Foundation aimed at strengthening regional integration and people-to-people ties across the northeastern states.
The rally proceeded to Imphal along NH-102 (Imphal-Dimapur section) and stopped at Sekmai before entering the capital city early Tuesday.
From Imphal, it then proceeded to Imphal Peace Museum at Maibam Lotpa Ching in Bishnupur district from where it returned to Imphal to attend a cultural event at GM Hall this Tuesday afternoon.
Talking to reporters in Imphal, managing trustee of the KRC Foundation Biswadeep Gupta said that the rally aimed at building unity among the approximately 200 communities residing across the northeastern region of India.
He emphasized the need for the communities to set aside communal feelings for living together peacefully with prosperity.
He further emphasized on the need for people-to-people contact and cultural exchange in strengthening regional integration.
To promote unity, mutual respect, and cultural understanding among the eight states of the north east was another core objective of the rally, he said.
He hoped that NEIR will provide a platform where diverse communities can interact, share traditions, and work collectively towards peace, development, and national integration. The managing trustee added the rally will leave Imphal for Jiribam along NH-37 tomorrow morning to conclude the Manipur leg.
The cultural exchange programme, a part of the NEIR was jointly organised by Atinga and the North East Zone Cultural Centre at GM Hall, Imphal.
The event was attended by MLA Tangjam Arunkumar, Dr Dabli Thangjam, and Meghalaya MLA AL Hek, reflecting strong inter-state participation and support for the integration initiative. Speaking on the occasion, secretary Konthoujam Bobin of Atinga said that Atinga was participating in NEIR 2026 as one of the organisers.
He noted that the rally is designed to unite the varied ethnic and cultural groups of the North East into a collective force, contributing to the vision of a stronger and more inclusive India.
The cultural exchange programme featured different cultural performances, IDPs performance, stalls from Laishoi Relief camp and Sawombung Relief camp, that celebrated the shared heritage of the North East while reinforcing the objectives of harmony, cooperation, and regional integration envisioned under NEIR 2026.
The rally, which is scheduled to cover all seven northeastern states.