Shillong, Oct 16: The 4th State Level Inter School Traditional Singing Competition, organised by the North East Educational Society (NEEDS) in collaboration with St Edmund’s College and supported by the Department of Arts and Culture, was held on Thursday at the State Central Library Auditorium.
Held as part of the Jan Jatiya Gaurav Divas of the Union Ministry of Tribals Affairs, the event was attended by Arts and Culture Minister Sanbor Shullai and Principal Secretary FR Kharkongor, among other dignitaries.
The hall was filled with thumping traditional beats, which were heartfully performed by the children from the ten participating schools in both solo and group categories.
Jowai Public School secured first prize in the solo category and St Margaret Higher Secondary School and All Saints Diocesan Hr Sec School secured second and third respectively. In the group category KC Secondary School won the competition while All Saints and St Margaret were second and third.
Addressing the gathering, Shullai highlighted the importance of such events in ensuring that children and future generations remain deeply rooted in their culture while also embracing the values of cultural inclusivity in today’s cosmopolitan world. Meanwhile, Kharkongor emphasised the need to incorporate indigenous heritage into the educational curriculum so that society remains firmly grounded in its roots despite the growing influence of Western culture and social media.
