My Home India’s NESt Fest 2026 Opens In Delhi
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My Home India’s 9th North East Students’ Festival (NESt Fest 2026) opened in the capital on Friday, bringing together youth, leaders and artists from across the North East for the first of its two-day run at the Talkatora Indoor Stadium. Built around the theme “The Sound of India’s Yuva Shakti,” the festival’s inaugural day combined a cultural showcase with dialogue on issues of climate and sustainability facing the region.
Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region and Communications Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia,as chief guest at the inaugural ceremony along with Delhi Chief Minister Smt. Rekha Gupta attended . She was joined by Odisha Governor Shri K. Hari Babu Maharashtra Governor, Shri Jishnu Dev Varma, Nagaland Cabinet Minister Shri Imna Along, and Vinod Tawde, National General Secretary BJP.
Twelve years ago, only a handful of people could name more than two states in the North East. Under the guidance of PM Modi ji, that has changed, and today this region is spoken of as Ashtalakshmi, one of the fastest growing parts of the country. Better connectivity, a rising startup ecosystem and young athletes now reaching national podiums all tell the same story. My Home India was started to close the distance of familiarity between the North East and the rest of the country, and this festival is where we see that distance shrinking every year. I am grateful to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta for being with us and standing with our Yuva Shakti.” said Shri Sunil Deodhar, Founder of My Home India.
“Delhi has always been home to India in all its diversity, and today the capital opened its arms to the culture, music and talent of the North East. Festivals like this remind our young people that the India they are inheriting is one country, with room for every region’s voice,” said Smt. Rekha Gupta, Chief Minister of Delhi.
“The North East is no longer at the periphery of India’s story. It is central to it, in its culture, its youth and its aspirations. This festival captures that shift, and platforms like NESt Fest are exactly the kind of bridge-building this government is committed to strengthening,” said Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region and Communications.
The inaugural ceremony was followed by a North East cultural parade and the inauguration of a government pavilion, giving visitors a first look at the festival’s exhibits. The day continued with folk music and dance showcases, a Janajatiya handicraft and cuisine exhibition, and headline musical performances by artists from the region.
The festival’s second day, September 5, will carry forward with cultural performance of Maharastra’s Gadchiroli, Meghalaya dance, Assam Bihu dance, a fashion show of traditional North East attire, further performances by regional artists, and a valedictory session with a youth pledge ceremony.
