The 9th North East Students’ Festival (NESt Fest 2026), organised by My Home India, opened at the Talkatora Indoor Stadium on Thursday.
Centered around the theme The Sound of India’s Yuva Shakti, the two-day event drew youth, leaders, and artists from across the region for cultural showcases and panel discussions on climate and sustainability.
The inaugural ceremony saw Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region and Communications, Jyotiraditya Scindia, grace the occasion as chief guest, alongside Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
Speaking at the event, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta said, "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."
Emphasizing the region's rising prominence, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia added, “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."