Shyamkanu Mahanta's Festival Funding Under Scrutiny Amid Zubeen Garg's Death

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: In a significant development, it has now come to light that over Rs 50 lakh of central funds under the Ministry of Tourism was sanctioned for Rongali Festival, which was organized by Trend MMS, headed by Shyamkanu Mahanta.

It was Shyamkanu Mahanta’s Trend MMS only which had planned to organize the Northeast India Festival 2025 at Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre in Singapore from September 19 to 21, 2025. However, tragedy struck on the very first day of the festival, on September 19, when Assam’s beloved singer and cultural icon Zubeen Garg perished while swimming during a yacht trip. Zubeen had gone to Singapore to participate in the Northeast India Festival on Shyamkanu’s invitation.

Since that fatal day of Zubeen’s passing, questions have been raised by several quarters about government funding of Trend MMS to organize different festivals.

Today, Assam Rajya Sabha MP Birendra Prasad Baishya raised a question in the Upper House as to “whether the government has implemented any new steps or planned to attract domestic and international tourists in the NE region. If so, the details thereof, including the initiatives undertaken under various central schemes.”

In reply to MP Baishya’s question, the Union Minister of Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat replied, “The Ministry of Tourism, as part of its ongoing endeavour, promotes various tourism destinations and products of India, including the states of the Northeastern region, in a holistic manner, through various initiatives, including promotional events, assistance to state governments/UT administrations for organising fairs and festivals, participation in exhibitions, websites, social media, etc.”

While revealing the details of funding of fairs and festivals in the NE region, the Minister stated that, in the financial year 2016-17, the Ministry had sanctioned Rs 35 lakh for the Rongali Festival and two other festivals in Assam. Similarly, in the financial years 2018-19 and 2021-22, Rs 25 lakh each was sanctioned for two editions of Rongali Festival.

It should be mentioned here that Shyamkanu Mahanta is one of the accused in Zubeen’s death case and is presently in judicial custody, and his financial dealings are being investigated. Assam Police’s CID arrested 7 individuals in connection with the legendary singer’s mysterious and untimely death.

The police is slated to file the charge sheet in Zubeen’s death case in the first part of December 2025.

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