Baichung Bhutia checks off bucket list wish to visit Hornbill Festival

Baichung Bhutia being felicitated at Hornbill Festival on December 9. (Morung Photo)

Kisama, December 9 (MExN): The afternoon session of Cultural Connect event at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama on December 9 was graced by Baichung Bhutia as the special guest and Larsing LD Sawyan VP AIFF & MD, CPGE. Temjen Imna Along, Minister Higher Education and Technical Education, Tribal Affairs along with Er Zale Neikha, Advisor Youth Resource and Sports were the chief hosts.

A DIPR report stated that speaking at the event, Baichung Bhutia, former India Football Team captain, said visiting and attending the Hornbill Festival had always been on his bucket list and was both honoured and glad to finally get the opportunity to visit and be part of the Hornbill Festival 2019. He added that being from the North East, he was equally proud of the Hornbill Festival, a festival which the entire India as well as people from across the globe look forward to attending. 

Bhutia said that over the years sportspersons from the North East have represented the country in different disciplines thereby highlighting the North East region but the Hornbill Festival has eclipsed all in capturing the interest of people from across the states and has brought the focus back on the North East region and its people. 

He commended the way in which the Hornbill Festival highlights the rich and colorful culture of the Nagas and encouraged the rest of the Northeastern states to follow suit in organizing such a festival. He concluded by saying that the Hornbill Festival is a great example of promoting one’s state and its people and the rest of the states can draw inspiration from it and creates something that will have a positive impact on the entire of North East.

Special guest of the function, Larsing LD Sawyan said the Nagas have a unique identity of culture which is well preserved, celebrated and showcased through the Hornbill Festival which gets bigger and bigger every year. He said that the Hornbill Festival has become famous across the country and is in a way related largely to the identity of the North East India when one look at it as a tourism destination. 

He expressed hope that new changes will take place across the country beginning from the North East with the Naga people playing an active and leading role in taking the northeastern state forward.