~Witness the live performances by MGMP Artistes at the India Gate, ceremonial axis of New Delhi~

New Delhi, July 30, 2025: The third edition of the Meghalaya Pineapple Fest is set to take centre stage in the national capital from August 1st to 3^rd, 2025, at the iconic Dilli Haat, INA, offering Delhiites a vibrant blend of tropical sweetness, cultural heritage, and soulful music straight from the hills of Meghalaya.

Organised by the Government of Meghalaya, the festival celebrates the state’s flagship fruit- the pineapple, alongside its rich crafts, indigenous flavours, and grassroots talent. From juicy naturally organic Kew pineapples with high Brix value, to folk-infused performances curated under the Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Grassroots Music Program (CM-MGMP), which will be held at the ceremonial axis of New Delhi, the India Gate will offer a diverse experience of Meghalaya’s rich music and culture like never before.

Notably, over 30,000 farmers across the districts of Ri-Bhoi and the Garo Hills grow pineapples naturally, through the intervention of self-help groups (SHGs) that ensure quality and traceability.

Meghalaya’s pineapples are now travelling far and wide- thanks to robust partnerships with entities like Lulu Group and Mother India. Over 757 metric tonnes processed pineapples have already been exported to the European Union’s baby food industry. Recently, during her visit to Meghalaya, Hon’ble Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman flagged off premium pineapples to Dubai, now featured at Lulu Hypermarkets.

Behind this success lies a holistic ecosystem including over 500+ farmer collectives, interest-free loans, cold storages, processing units, mobile packhouses, and farm-to-airport logistics, designed to ensure that the fresh produce reaches various parts of the world. Notably, the state’s flagship initiative, FOCUS, has been instrumental in providing trial marketing grants and strengthening farmer-market linkages.

The first two editions of the festival in 2023 and 2024 not only catalysed international collaborations but also drew significant national attention. Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi lauded it as a celebration of India’s “diverse agricultural heritage” that “empowers our farmers.”

Join us for a memorable celebration of Meghalaya’s rich agricultural heritage, artistic diversity, and delectable cuisine.  Whether you’re a food enthusiast, a culture lover, or simply looking for a fantastic weekend outing, the Meghalaya Pineapple Festival 2025 promises to be an unforgettable experience for all.

Sd/-

Commissioner & Secretary
Government of Meghalaya

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Shri Conrad K Sangma, Hon’ble Chief Minister said, “We have been trying very hard to make it a calendar event not for just the state but hopefully one day on to the national and even international level. This is just the beginning, and we intend to make it much bigger in the coming years”.  He added that the festival aims to bring together writers and provide a canvas for the youth to engage, exemplified by initiatives like the Meghalaya Grassroots Movement Program (MGMP). Hon’ble Chief Minister expressed that in coming years, the festival will not only be confined to literature, but different aspects of fine arts. At the end of the day, this festival, beyond literature and fine arts, is about the people and the youth of Meghalaya where they can use the platform to engage with people across the world and get a chance to connect and learn. He underscored the importance that the festival holds to the students, not only the college ones but also young children. He added we need to document all the cultural and historical aspects of our state. We are hopeful that through initiatives like this we would not only encourage the habit of jotting down things, but also, coupled with CM Research Scholars’ programme, promote a healthy research and documentation on the people and culture of Meghalaya. The festival, as Hon’ble Chief Minister expects will become a calendar event for tourists across the country and beyond. 

Renowned Indian novelist and poet Vikram Seth delivered a special address during the inaugural ceremony reflecting on the universality of literature and its ability to bridge cultures and communities. Seth called Shillong, which is the Scotland of the East, as the Kyoto of the West. He said, “I discovered I had a connection with Shillong, which I didn’t realise till 5 minutes ago. Tagore apparently was in Shillong, and it was the basis of inspiration of his book Shesher kobita, or the last poem.” The poems from this book were read by his mother before Vikram Seth was born. He praised the atmosphere of the Shillong, the cherry blossoms, and added that one need not compare Shillong with any other city of the west.

Hon’ble Tourism Minister Bah Paul Lyngdoh highlighted the gap between human achievements and the divine, emphasizing the role of literature, poetry, and the written word in bridging this divide and aspiring towards the ethereal.

Columnist and writer Shobha De termed the lit fest as the “prettiest” lit fest that she has ever attended. She praised the Hon’ble Chief Minister by stating, “How lucky is the state of Meghalaya to have a Chief Minister who is multi-talented, so cool, who just connects with the youth and takes so much pride in the cultural identity of the state.”

The inaugural address was delivered by Dr Vijay Kumar D, IAS, Commissioner & Secretary, Department of Tourism, Government of Meghalaya. Director of Tourism, Shri Cyril VD Diengdoh gave the vote of thanks to everyone present in the occasion.

As the day progressed, the festival unfolded a series of engaging sessions featuring eminent authors, artists, and thinkers, promising an unforgettable experience for all attendees. Highlights from Day 1 included an array of insightful sessions with eminent personalities like Vikram Seth, Shobha De, Jerry Pinto, Kynoham S Nongkynrih, Sabir Hussain, Arupjyoti Saikia, Amabel Susngi, among others.

The sessions started with “Folklore as Fiction: The Haunting World of ‘The Distaste of the Earth’”, where Mr. Kynpham S. Nongkynrih delved into folklore’s transformation into fiction alongside Mr. Kanishka Gupta.

The session “For the Love of Travel” saw Mr. Sabir Hussain and Mr. David Laitphlang engaging in a vibrant discussion on the transformative power of travel narratives. Equally captivating was “Ha Yupiam ka Bei (On Mother’s Lap): Talk and Play”, where Ms. Amabel Susngi and Mr. Daryll Diengdoh explored cultural connections through storytelling.

Vikram Seth returned to the spotlight with “A Suitable Author: Reading & Reminiscences”, where he engaged with Ms. Malavika Banerjee to explore his iconic works and the art of storytelling. Another literary highlight was Jerry Pinto’s session, “The Education of Yuri”, where he shared insights into his creative process, joined by Ms. Janice Pariat in an enriching dialogue.

The evening took an exciting turn with “De Light”, a much-anticipated session featuring Shobhaa De in conversation with Mr. Jerry Pinto. The day concluded with a mesmerizing musical performance by the artists of Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project, a significant step to promote youth and musicians of Meghalaya.

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The MoU was signed in the presence of the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Mr. Conrad K Sangma and Hon’ble Minister of Health & Family Welfare and Agriculture, Dr. M Ampareen Lyngdoh. Shri. M. Hari Menon, Director of the India Country Office at the Gates Foundation, and Mr. Sampath Kumar, Principal Secretary to the GoM, Health & Family Welfare Department on behalf of the state signed the MoU. Other members present during the signing were Commissioner & Secretary, Planning & Investment, Promotion & Sustainable Development, Government of Meghalaya, Dr. Vijay Kumar D.; Commissioner & Secretary, Department of Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Joram Beda; Secretary of Health and Family Welfare & Mission Director of NHM, Government of Meghalaya, Mr. Ramkumar S; Director of Health for the India Country Office at the Gates Foundation Dr. Rajani Ved, as well as other senior officials from the Meghalaya Government and BMGF.

The MoU signed today called for the realization of efficient and effective healthcare solutions in Meghalaya, and the parties also pledged to undertake numerous activities in the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, especially the health-related goal for the year 2030. The MoU will last for four years where both stakeholders shall facilitate successful delivery of the set objectives in the paper with efficiency checkups, monitoring, and evaluation.

Through the MoU, BMGF will provide both financial and technical support to improve outcomes in twelve key areas: comprehensive primary healthcare, family planning, maternal health and anaemia, neonatal health, immunisation, childhood wasting and nutrition, nursing education, supply chain management, digital health, results-based financing and performance management in healthcare, competency mapping and development for government functionaries, and agriculture and livestock development.

Speaking at the signing event, the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Shri Conrad K. Sangma emphasized the importance of this collaboration and said, “We are happy and excited about the partnership that we are going to have with Gates Foundation. We need to have the right-minded people with the right desire, goal, and mindset to sit together and try to resolve the problems, the institutional setups, and the plans that we have. We are looking at expertise in terms of knowledge. To conclude, for us what matters is how to make life better for our citizens.” He also stressed on improving the socio-economic conditions of mothers and the female population at large. “We have started to make plans based on the real problems, the institutional systems and what we have to do to address the problems. We will go the extra mile to make sure that we achieve the goals that we want. It will not be easy, but it is a continuous process,” he said.

Dr. Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh, the Hon’ble Health Minister, Government of Meghalaya added, “We are very happy that you are already in the field for so long, so you are familiar what our gaps are, you are familiar with what we need to get done. I would like to see this community participation. I hope that we will be able to evolve a module which would likely be suitable for replication across the board in Northeastern states and other areas. I am looking forward to the MoU signing.”

The collaboration between the Government of Meghalaya and the Gates Foundation is based on three strategically oriented goals for changing the current state of health care. First, it seeks to lower maternal, neonatal and child mortality through increasing access to family planning, managing anaemia and developing emergency transport to reduce death rates. Second, the partnership aims to promote health and nutrition services provided by government and non-government organizations with special reference to gender. Finally, the partnership will build the capacity of local institutions by ensuring that they are involved in policy formulation, research and breakthroughs in healthcare to support sustainable change.

Shri M. Hari Menon, Director – India Country Office & South & Southeast Asia Director, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation stated, “Our partnership with the Government of Meghalaya underscores our commitment to ensuring equitable access to essential health and nutrition services. We look forward to partnering with the Government to strengthen the health system, foster innovation, and enhance institutional capacity to help achieve long-term, sustainable health outcomes for the people of Meghalaya.” 

Shri Sampath Kumar, Principal Secretary & Development Commissioner, Government of Meghalaya commented, “It is a significant step in our endeavour towards reaching people of Meghalaya for quality health and nutrition care through this partnership with the Gates Foundation. Altogether, our mission is to develop a health system that can be safe for future generations.”

The partnership will also focus on several key program areas, such as the creation of IT solutions for primary healthcare as well as improving family planning by increasing the number of contraceptive methods and availability. It will also involve enhanced maternal and neonatal health with reference to anaemia and other essential infrastructure joined to hidden childhood wasting and anaemia through supplementary feeding and immunization. Also, nursing education shall be augmented by a redesigned curriculum that is globally competent and improved supply chain management to increase drug and diagnostics availability. Moreover, adopted digital health will improve research-based decision-making capabilities with the use of performance-based financing. There will also be cooperation in areas of agriculture and livestock development emphasizing building value chains and supporting small farmers in the state of Meghalaya.

The Meghalaya State Health Society will be responsible for the coordination of the activities funded by the Gates Foundation and monitoring the progress and planning on sustainability. The Gates Foundation will invest financial as well as technical resources, attracting national and international technical support for the state’s health agenda.

With this comprehension of fairness in healthcare delivery, the partnership between the Government of Meghalaya and the Gates Foundation stands ready to help contribute to the state’s healthcare system in a positive way and make sure that people get access to good care.

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This eagerly anticipated occasion will take place at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (JLN Stadium) in New Delhi. The attendees can look forward to a captivating showcase of talented artists. The line-up features KIM WOOJIN from Korea, RUM & MONKEYS and SYMPHONIC ILLUSIONS from Shillong, LARGER THAN 90 and RIJUNE from Jowai.

In the spirit of cultural appreciation and shared experiences, the Cherry Blossom Festival Curtain Raiser 2023 extends an invitation to members of the press fraternity and the audience at large. It promises to be an enriching experience that not only brings together people from various backgrounds but also pays tribute to Meghalaya’s extraordinary natural beauty.

The Three-Day Cherry Blossom Festival is slated to be held from the 17th of November 2023 at the RBDSA Sports Complex, in Bhoirymbong, Meghalaya. The festival will feature global sensations such as Ne-Yo and Ronan Keating, alongside YouTube sensation Sanam and dynamic performers Jonas Blue and Pink Panda. Equally, the festival is a celebration of local talent, with artists like Meba Ofilia, Lou Majaw, Blue Temptation, and talented pool of performers from Shillong and the Northeast India, creating a unique blend of musical brilliance.

The festival attracts tourists across the globe who visit Meghalaya to experience the beautiful atmosphere replete with the Cherry Blossom, along with a wide variety of entertainment avenues including cosplay competition, Miss and Mr. Cherry Blossom Pageant, graffiti and Karaoke contest and many more.

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Today, at the Shillong White Water village in Umtham of Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi District. Organised by the Ri Bhoi Water Sports and Tourism Corporation Society Limited, this festival became the light of the day under sponsorship and guidance by the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of Meghalaya, and in collaboration with the Indian Kayaking and Canoeing Association (IKCA).

The three-day event, set to be a thrilling experience for the participants and the spectators will continue till 14th of October. This year, the festival takes pride in its rich diversity, with a wide-ranging group of participants. This includes an impressive squad of 25 international kayakers hailing from various corners of the globe. Participating countries include Sri Lanka, Switzerland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, the Czech Republic, Australia, Norway, Chile, Mexico, Germany, and France, along with 8 talented kayakers from India’s Meghalaya and one from Arunachal Pradesh.

Meghalaya’s own talent shines brightly in the intermediate category of today’s event, with a total of 8 participants showcasing their kayaking skills and passion. Their presence not only symbolizes local talent but also underscores the region’s dedication to adventure sports and how it influences the sport’s growth. The addition of international kayakers adds an extra layer of excitement and competition to the festival.

For those with a penchant for adventure and a love of speed, the festival offers two categories: the Down River Sprint and the Canoe Slalom Cross. As the kayakers take to the Umtrew River’s raging waters, they are poised to make a lasting impression with their expert navigation and swift rowing. The festival is not just about competition, but, a celebration of sportspersonship, shared enthusiasm for kayaking, and the power of nature.

Beyond the thrill of the event, the Megha Kayak Festival serves a broader purpose. It not only brings kayakers together but also shines a spotlight on adventure sports and eco-tourism in Meghalaya. This festival welcomes the world to experience the unparalleled beauty of the state, offering a unique opportunity to explore the lush landscapes and untouched natural wonders that Meghalaya has to offer.

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