The Meghalaya government is set to organise a two-day prelude event for the Shillong Literary Festival in New Delhi this week, bringing together writers, filmmakers, actors and public thinkers as part of efforts to expand the festival’s reach across the country.
The event will be held on May 8 and 9 at Bikaner House and will focus on topics such as literature, identity, ecology, food, cinema and indigenous traditions from Northeast India. Discussions on culture and governance are also expected.
Launched in 2021, the Shillong Literary Festival has become one of the well-known literary events in the Northeast. The Delhi event is being seen as a preview of the main festival that will be held in Meghalaya later this year.
One of the major sessions will feature a conversation between Conrad K Sangma and Shekhar Gupta.
Actor Naseeruddin Shah is also expected to take part in a reading session from Vikram Seth’s work Beastly Tales From Here and There.
Other speakers include Shobhaa De, Sanjoy Hazarika, Patricia Mukhim, filmmaker Pradip Kurbah and actor-filmmaker Dominic Sangma.
The programme will also include discussions on Khasi and Garo traditions, regional literature in translation and Shillong’s changing food culture. Live performances by artists linked to Meghalaya’s grassroots music initiatives are also expected.
Officials said the event aims to give Meghalaya’s cultural sector more national exposure while also promoting tourism through literature, art and music. The state government has been using festivals and cultural events to promote Meghalaya as a cultural tourism destination.