The North East Conference–2026, organised by North East Sanstha, Delhi, concluded successfully at the Constitution Club of India in New Delhi, drawing together eminent thinkers, policy experts, academics, social leaders, and cultural practitioners for a day-long exchange on the many dimensions of Northeast India.
The conference featured thematic sessions covering the region's cultural heritage, customary traditions, developmental trajectory, policy perspectives, social harmony, and emerging opportunities.
The conference opened with a set of wide-ranging perspectives on the Northeast's place in India's national story.
Madan Prasad Bezbaruah, retired IAS officer and former Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, spoke about the unique sensitivity of the Northeast and its gradual integration with the rest of the country. Advocate Bikram Banerjee, Additional Solicitor General of India, underlined the importance of the region's customary laws in preserving indigenous identity and maintaining social balance.
Narendra Thakur, Akhil Bharatiya Sah Prachar Pramukh of the RSS, reflected on the Northeast's civilizational history, tracing its cultural continuity from the era of the Mahabharata to the present. Samudragupta Kashyap, Chancellor of Nagaland University and journalist-scholar from Assam, highlighted the often-overlooked contributions of freedom fighters from the region to India's national movement.
Delina Khongdup, Member of the National Commission for Women from Meghalaya, spoke about distinguished personalities from the state who have enriched the region's cultural landscape.
Premananda Sharma, a noted social worker from Manipur, highlighted the Northeast's remarkable contribution to India's sporting excellence and the global recognition earned by its athletes. Dr Oinam Bhagat, Professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, examined how colonial-era narratives distorted the historical record of the Northeast and stressed the need for corrective scholarship.
Arun Sharma, Director General of NECTAR (North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach), presented the region's recent development story, pointing to opportunities emerging from infrastructure expansion, improved connectivity, and policy initiatives.
The closing session was addressed by veteran journalist and Padma Bhushan awardee Ram Bahadur Rai, President of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, who shared historical insights shaping the present-day Northeast and highlighted the growing developmental attention being accorded to the region.
Dr Poonam Gunindra, Vice-Chancellor of Manipur University of Culture, spoke about how expanding road, rail, and air connectivity is linking the Northeast more closely with the rest of India and the wider world. Dr Sunil Mohanty, Northeast Prachar Pramukh of the RSS, emphasised the importance of social harmony in enabling economic growth and underscored the strategic and civilizational significance of "Ishanya Bharat" in India's development journey.
The conference concluded with a special felicitation ceremony honouring individuals from different Northeastern states for their contributions across arts, agriculture, education, cultural preservation, and social service.