AGARTALA, Sep 9 (TIWN): Thousands of students participated in the colorful musical cultural programme – Nest. FEST 2018, organized by My Home India (MHI) as it’s annual event to welcome the fresher students of Northeastern region living in and around Delhi.

This year’s programme was organized at the Talkotara stadium here on Saturday and which coincided with the birth anniversary of Dr Bhupen Hazarika, legendary singer, musician and composer of the Northeast region.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the fest in presence of Dr Harsh Vardan, Union Minister for Science and Technology, MoS Civil Aviation Dr Jayanta Sinha, Secretary North Eastern Council Ram Muivah, founder of MHI and National Secretary BJP Sunil Deodhar and former football captain of India Bhaichung Bhutia.

The program started with traditional felicitation of the guests in Northeastern manner by Sunil Deodhar founder of My Home India who on the occasion welcomed the gathering and praised the Union Home Minister for bringing peace to the once turbulent Northeaster region of India.

Meantime, the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh addressing the gathering said that Northeast is the heart of India and without its development the all-round development of India is not possible.

He recalled former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpaye and said that it was only during Vajpaye’s tenure that a separate Ministry DoNER, dedicated for the development of the NE region was formed.

Singh also viewed that after Vajpayee, the present Prime Minister Narendra Modi, under his Act East Policy has prioritized for the development of the eight Northeastern states, and which he declared as ‘Asta Laxmi’.

Mentioning names of few sports personnel’s like Hima Das, Dipa Karmakar and few other the Union Home Minister said that the Northeastern region is full of multi-talents and which need to be explored.

Praising the role of MHI for its various activities in nation building through various programs including today’s colorful fest, the Union Home Minister assured the students of Northeaster region against any type problems and for which his door shall always remain open.

Speaking on the occasion the Tripura Chief Minister also praised the role of MHI for its various social services especially for the people of the Northeastern region.

Adding to Deb, the MoS Civil Aviation Dr Jayanta Sinha said that the present government at the centre is emphasizing on better infrastructure and connectivity of the Northeastern region and which are basics and necessary for the development.

He also informed about the coming up of various new airports and resuming of services in old airports in the NE region beside the UDAN project which aims at air connecting all NE states to other states of India.

The last speaker at the inaugural program former footballer Baichung Bhutia, who belong the Northeaster Sikkim state, thanked MHI founder Sunil Deodhar and his team for their continuous support towards the people of the NE region and asked the gathered students to approach MHI in case they face any type of problem.

The second part of the program started with the dance and songs , highlighting the rich cultural diversity of various tribes of NE region.

More than fifteen cultural troupes performed various dances of NE region including the famous Bihu dance of Assam, Hazagiri of Tripura, Wangala of Meghalaya, Rai Haraba of Manipur and Cheru of Mizoram those mesmerized that huge gathering with their performances beside star performer Zubeen Garg, former India Idol Surabhi Debbarma and Nagaland’s renowned band Alobo Naga also performed in the program which is the biggest of its type here organized by My Home India.