Guwahati Grand Poetry Festival: Nagaland, Assam, Manipur & Meghalaya share titles

GUWAHATI: The results of the Northeast India regional-level virtual 'Poetry Reading and Singing' competition organised by the 'Guwahati Grand Poetry Festival' in association with 'Kamata Foundation', a charity organisation was declared here on Sunday on the occasion of the 'International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples' with the theme 'COVID-19 and indigenous peoples' resilience'.

This competition — the biggest in the history of virtual poetry reading and singing competitions in this part of the country — was declared open on July 12 last on the birthday of poet Pablo Neruda, stated a release of convenor MK Sarma.

The jury for the singing category were noted singer composer JP Das, India classical music exponents Nandita Sarma and Pragyan Barua, ghazal maestro Anirban Das and Ahemdabad-based music composer Anup Phukan. Bhupen Chakrabarty, Rakhee Kalita Moral, Asha Kuthari Choudhuri and Madhu Raghavendra constituted the jury for the poetry-reading category.

From amongst the contestants, Aseto Zao of Nagaland and Meghdeep Deuri from Assam jointly bagged the 'Tunesmith of Northeast India' singing competition title. Anamitra Khargharia and Debanjana Pujari, both from Assam have been chosen for the jury's special-mention award.

In the poetry-reading category, Rajkumari Ichanthoibi Devi of Manipur and Aditee Kashyap from Meghalaya jointly bagged the 'Wordsmith of Northeast India' poetry-reading title. Freedy Boy Majaw of Meghalaya and Dziivinguno Dorothy Chasie from Nagaland have been chosen for the jury's special-mention award.

The prizes will be given away to the winners on November 5 at Guwahati during a memorial programme that day to be organised by Guwahati Grand Poetry Festival to commemorate Dr. Bhupen Hazarika's ninth death anniversary.

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