Vairengte: A two-day Inter-State Border Festival, jointly organised by Mizoram’s Kolasib district and Assam’s Cachar district, began at the Joint YMA Field in Vairengte on Thursday to strengthen ties between communities living along the inter-state border.
Major General Kulvir Singh, SM, Commandant of the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare (CIJW) School, Vairengte, inaugurated the festival as the chief guest.
Addressing the gathering, Singh said the festival would promote mutual understanding, respect and goodwill among communities from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. He congratulated the Deputy Commissioners of Kolasib and Cachar for organising the event and expressed hope that it would become an annual affair.
Highlighting Vairengte’s position as a border town, he praised its residents for demonstrating how neighbouring communities could coexist peacefully and harmoniously.
The inaugural programme was chaired by Dr Samuel Lalmalsawma Sailo, Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil), Vairengte. Dr Benjamin Lalduhawma, Project Director of the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA), presented a technical report.
Twenty-one stalls have been set up by Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under the Mizoram State Rural Livelihoods Mission (MzSRLM) and various government departments, showcasing agricultural produce and handicrafts made by local Mizo artisans. The programme also featured musical performances by local singers.
Kolasib Deputy Commissioner H. Dolianbuaia, government officials and school students from Vairengte attended the inaugural event.
The festival will conclude on Friday, October 30, with the main programme expected to be attended by the Cachar Deputy Commissioner and representatives from the Assam district.
Also Read: Will Mizoram’s proposed railway to the Indo-Myanmar border revive India’s Act East ambitions?
