Union Minister for Communications and Development of the North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya Scindia has highlighted Nagaland’s cultural strength, economic potential and growing national importance through his reflections on the 26th Hornbill Festival, describing the Northeast as central to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat.
In an article, Scindia wrote that his visit to Nagaland reinforced the idea of the Northeast as “Bharat’s Ashtalakshmi states,” citing its natural wealth, cultural heritage, skills, agriculture, ecotourism and sporting talent. He described Nagaland as a place of deep personal connection, “forged through the raw, unfiltered kinship” he feels with its people and shaped by “their unbowed resilience amid historical tempests, and their fierce embrace of progress.”
Scindia began his visit at the Kohima War Cemetery, recalling the Battle of Kohima in 1944 and the role of the Naga community alongside Allied forces. He quoted the epitaph, “When you go home, tell them of us and say, ‘For your tomorrow, we gave our today’,” and linked the historical sacrifice to the region’s present confidence.
He highlighted Nagaland’s GI-tagged Naga Coffee, cultivated across more than 20,000 hectares and supporting about 50,000 tribal farmers, noting plans to scale production under the Act East Policy. He also witnessed the Angami stone-pulling ceremony at Tuophema village, which he described as a powerful symbol of unity reflecting the mantra of “Vikas bhi, virasat bhi” (development entwined with heritage).
At the Hornbill Festival in Kisama, Scindia noted the blend of traditional and contemporary culture, international participation, women-led entrepreneurship and grassroots talent, calling the Northeast “the face of a new, confident India”.
PM Modi responds to Scindia on Hornbill Festival
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today commended the “vibrant spirit of Nagaland’s Hornbill Festival, describing it as a powerful reflection of India’s cultural richness and the enduring vitality of its tribal heritage,” a PIB report stated.
The report said that the Prime Minister highlighted that North East today represents the face of a “new, confident India.” Applauding Nagaland’s unique cultural identity, Modi observed that the State does not merely host a festival; it embodies celebration itself, truly justifying its proud title as the Land of Festivals.
Responding to a post by Union Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia on X, Modi said: “In this engaging article, Union Minister Shri @JM_Scindia describes Nagaland’s Hornbill Festival as a kaleidoscope of the human spirit and a masterful convergence of the ancient and the contemporary. He reiterates that our country will rise only when the Northeast shines.
Highlighting the Northeast as the face of a new, confident India, the Minister notes that Nagaland does not just celebrate – it embodies celebration, truly justifying why it is called the Land of Festivals.”