Along with the rest of the country, Meghalaya today celebrated Jan Jatiya Gaurav Divas (Tribal Pride) at U Soso Tham Auditorium, Shillong to honour the brave tribal freedom fighters. The celebration was graced by the august presence of the Minister i/c Arts & Culture, Bah Paul Lyngdoh as the Chief Guest and Deputy Chief Executive Member, KHADC, Bah P N Syiem as Guest of Honour.
15th November is the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, an iconic freedom fighter, social reformer and revered tribal leader of the country.
In his speech, Bah Paul Lyngdoh said that as we celebrate Tribal Pride Week, we should celebrate the pride of belonging to the soil and we should keep in mind that the soil and the soul are one integral part of a tribal. While watching the live streaming of the speech of the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, Bah Paul said that he noticed the PM is donning the gamcha of Assam. This shows that the North Eastern Region has finally registered itself in the national consciousness, he added.
Referring on the recent visit to the United Kingdom, Bah Paul Lyngdoh informed that when he visited the Stonehenge, he was surprised that the Stonehenge is more or less dated around the same time that we have the Geological Age called the Meghalayan Age. It is a matter of pride for us that the world has decided upon the name of Meghalayan age as a Geological Age 4200 years ago till 1950, he said.
Bah Paul Lyngdoh said that when we talk of the brave hearts of Meghalaya, one major and distinct factor is the fact that the Khasi Resistance Movement led by U Tirot Sing in 1829 was far ahead of the Great Revolution against the British Rule of 1857 and that is a fact that should be fully absorbed by those scripting our history books. “We should no longer be just a footnote in history but we deserve an entire chapter of our own,” he said.
As we celebrate our roots, origin, we should also acknowledge the son of our soil, Rev J J M Nichols Roy who was a member of the Constituent Assembly and who has articulated the need of the tribal people of this region that today we have a space and capacity to protect, promote and perpetuate our interest within India, Bah Paul Lyngdoh said.
Therefore, he called upon everyone to celebrate with a sense of pride and also celebrate with a sense that we should not be only be proud of our past but also do our bit so that future generation will be proud of today’s generation.
Others who spoke on the occasion were Deputy Chief Executive Member, KHADC, Bah P N Syiem and Commissioner & Secretary, Arts & Culture, Shri. F R Kharkongor who delivered the welcome address.
As part of the celebration, various awards were given away by the Chief Guest.
Cash prizes were awarded to the winners of the Inter School Traditional singing competition where in the solo category, Meghalaya Police Public School bagged the 1st prize, St. Edmunds School 2nd prize and Pariong Presbytery HSS the 3rd prize. In the Duet category the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes went to St. Mary’s HSS, Shillong, Meghalaya Police Public School and St. Edmunds School and in the group category, St. Edmunds School, Seven Set HSS and Jowai Public School bagged the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize respectively.
