AmritCem, a cement brand of the North East under Amrit Cement Ltd, concluded the live grand finale of Amrit Champion Hunt – Meghalaya today at the State Convention Centre here, marking a celebration of the state’s rich creative spirit and emerging local talent.
Rooted in the spirit of the state, the Amrit Champion Hunt – Meghalaya forms an integral part of AmritCem’s larger Champion campaign, launched in October 2025, which celebrates strength, resilience and performance, a press release stated. “These values are deeply reflected in the land, culture and people of the region. Through this initiative, AmritCem seeks to deepen its connect with Meghalaya by recognising everyday champions, encouraging youth-led aspirations and supporting community-driven progress.”
The live grand finale was graced by Brenda Pakyntein, Director of Tourism. Addressing the audience, she appreciated the initiative for providing a credible platform that empowers young people and highlights the creative potential of Meghalaya.
“Meghalaya has immense talent across music, dance, art, and creative expression. Initiatives like Amrit Champion Hunt play an important role in recognising this talent and giving our youth the confidence to dream bigger,” Pakyntein added.
Commenting on the initiative, Pradeep Bagla, Managing Director of Amrit Cement Ltd, said, “Meghalaya has an extraordinary depth of creative talent. Through Amrit Champion Hunt, we aim to build a credible platform that not only recognises talent but actively supports its growth. For us, being a Champion of Progress means standing with communities, nurturing aspirations, and enabling young people to move forward with confidence.”
The judges’ panel comprised respected Meghalaya-based experts – Arki Nongrum (sports), Jessie Lyngdoh (music), Dapalei Warjiri (dance) and Joshua Rayner (art and craft). They brought domain expertise and authentic local insight to the contest.
Designed as a digital-first talent platform culminating in a live on-ground finale, the Amrit Champion Hunt offered local youth and creators a credible stage to showcase their abilities while gaining visibility, recognition, and professional encouragement. Open exclusively to participants from Meghalaya, the contest invited entries across four creative verticals, Music and Dance, Art and Craft, Sports, and Miscellaneous Creators. This allowed both contemporary and traditional expressions of talent to flourish.
Participants submitted 60-second performance reels on Instagram or Facebook, ensuring accessibility for talent from both urban centres and remote parts of the state. Since its launch, the initiative witnessed strong digital traction, receiving over 200 entries across multiple talent forms including music, dance, rap, art and craft, makeup artistry, and more.
A structured, multi-stage evaluation process was implemented to ensure transparency and fairness. From the initial pool, 40 participants were shortlisted, followed by the selection of the Top 20 finalists by an expert judges’ panel. These finalists were invited to Shillong to compete at the Live Grand Finale, where their performances were evaluated in front of judges and a live audience.
The winners of the contest were LDA Dance Group (Dance), Kitkupar Nongsiej (Singing), Sana Eliza Shympliang (Dance), and Franky Nongbri (Singing), recognised for their outstanding talent and performance across their respective categories. Each winner received prizes worth Rs 50,000, aimed at supporting skill upliftment, professional training, and continued creative growth.
