Our Reporter
Dimapur, Oct. 25 (EMN): With an aim to inculcate the importance and significance of culture among the students amid changing lifestyle and behaviour around the world, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach) Nagaland Chapter organised national painting and essay competition at Don Bosco Institute for Development and Leadership (DBIDL), River Belt Colony, Dimapur on October 25.
The competition was for students of class 7 to 9 from Dimapur with the message ‘Icon of Change’ as part of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary commemoration.
Speaking at the inaugural programme, the chairman of Indigenous Cultural Society Nagaland, Dr. Hesheto Y Chishi emphasised on the need to preserve and promote rich Naga culture which is and will be a heritage to keep.
At a time where people are going back to their root, to preserve and enrich the value of their cultural heritage, Chishi urged the young minds to uphold and preserve the culture and heritage of the Nagas bestowed by the forefathers.
However, with language being the first factor in determining one’s identity, Chishi lamented that a huge proportion of young Nagas cannot speak their respective tribal mother tongue fluently. ‘We have to change that,’ he said.
He advised the students to be free from the influence of other cultures and behaviour while appealing ‘to join and participate in the cause for preserving, promoting and prolonging our beautiful and rich culture.’
Earlier during the programme, the state convenor of Intach Nagaland Chapter, Sentila T Yanger stated the non-profit charitable organisation opted for painting and essay competition out of many activities as ‘the two’ have a natural bonding with the students while preserving and promoting heritage and culture.
Altogether, 95 students from nine schools participated in the painting and essay competition. Officials of Intach Nagaland Chapter further informed that all the essays and the paintings will be submitted to the head office (Intach) in New Delhi where the results of the national painting and essay competition will be declared on March 15, 2020.
The result will consist of 100 regional winners and 10 national winners, and the awards will be given away at a function to be held in Delhi.
