Five distinguished contributors to Nagaland’s cultural and creative landscape were conferred the Governor’s Award in the Fields of Arts, Music and Literature 2026 at a ceremony held at Dr. Imkongliba Ao Hall here on Saturday.

The 2026 awardees were Aku Zeliang and Bendang Walling in Art, and Divine Connection, Imkonglemba and Joey Woch in Music.

The awards recognised their contributions to Nagaland’s artistic and musical traditions and celebrated the continuing role of creativity and cultural expression in shaping the State’s social and cultural life.

Governor of Nagaland Nand Kishore Yadav presented the awards and congratulated the recipients, saying their achievements represented years of dedication, creativity, discipline and perseverance and reflected the rich cultural spirit of Nagaland.

The Governor described the Governor’s Award as one of the highest honours conferred by the Government of Nagaland on individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the fields of arts, music and literature.

He said the occasion was not merely about recognising individual excellence but also about reaffirming the collective responsibility to preserve, enrich and carry forward Nagaland’s cultural heritage.

Highlighting the State’s diverse cultural traditions, Yadav said Nagaland was blessed with a remarkable variety of communities, languages, songs, stories, dances, crafts and artistic expressions. He noted that much of the State’s history had been preserved and transmitted through oral traditions, folk songs, indigenous knowledge, customary practices, craftsmanship and storytelling.

He said the award criteria, which emphasise originality and innovation, impact and cultural relevance, were important in recognising creative contributions that enrich society.

Addressing artists, the Governor said their work gives visual expression to the imagination of the people and enables society to see itself from new perspectives through painting, sculpture, traditional crafts, contemporary art and other creative forms.

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On music, Yadav highlighted Nagaland’s rich musical heritage, encompassing indigenous and folk traditions as well as contemporary, gospel, classical and modern forms. He urged musicians to preserve indigenous traditions while embracing experimentation, innovation and collaboration.

“Let our traditional melodies find new expressions without losing their roots,” he said.

The Governor also called for stronger collaboration among schools, colleges, universities, cultural institutions, artists, writers, musicians and community organisations. He stressed the need for educational institutions to provide greater opportunities for young people to engage with literature, music, visual arts and indigenous cultural traditions.

“Talent must be identified early, nurtured patiently and given platforms to flourish,” Yadav said.

Referring to India’s vision of Viksit Bharat, the Governor said Nagaland had an important contribution to make, adding that development must be inclusive not only of regions and economies but also of cultures, languages and creative traditions.

He said the cultural diversity of Nagaland constituted an important part of the diversity of India and needed to be preserved and promoted.

Earlier, Bodeno S Colo, NCS, Commissioner & Secretary, Art & Culture, presented an overview of the Governor’s Award 2026.

The programme featured the presentation of citations and displays highlighting the excellence of the awardees, followed by the presentation of the awards by Governor Yadav.

Chief Minister Dr Neiphiu Rio, Advisors, MLAs, senior government officials, awardees and invited guests attended the programme.