His Excellency Governor of Mizoram, Lt.Gen(Rtd) M.M.Lakhera PVSM,AVSM,VSM inaugurates the 8th National Art Festival at Chaltlang Tourist Lodge today. The event, the first of its kind in Mizoram, is organised by Lalit Kala Akademi New Delhi in association with Mizoram Art & Culture Department.

In his inaugural address, Governor expresses concern over lack of interaction between people from the North East with the rest of India which, he said, keep us apart. Both sides need to make more efforts to integrate, he remarks. Art is an expression of thought process and visual art can promote better knowledge and understanding among diiferent cultures and society, the Governor said. Talking on unemployment problem being faced in the region, the Governor also iterated the need for various agencies to work together to create opportunities and said Art is one area which can provide employment opportunities for talented youths. He further urges Lalit Kala Akademi to make efforts to create formalized outlet so that artists from the north east region may be able to get favourable returns for their work.

Also speaking on the occasion, Art & Culture Minister P.C.Zoram Sangliana called the 8th National Art Festival, "a new chapter in the history of promotion of visual arts in Mizoram." With Regional Centre of Lalit Kala Akademi having just concluded its Regional Painters Camp in Aizawl, Zoram Sangliana  congratulates Art lovers in Mizoram, particularly a handful of Mizo artists who have been working tirelessly to promote visual and other forms of fine arts in the state for these latest developments taking place in Mizoram. He welcomed participants from outside the state and expressed hope that more programmes would be organized in Mizoram in future.

Inaugural function  was conducted by Dr.U.S.Tiwari, Consultant Lalit Kala Akademi Regional Centre. Dr. Sudhakar Sharma, Secretary, Lalit Kala Akademi gave a brief background of the festival and a vote of thanks from Ngurbiaka, Joint Director Art & Culture was followed by performances of Oddissi by Indian classical dancer, Kavita Dwibedi and other cultural dances and songs from various artistes. About 46 artists, two from each state and four from Mizoram will participate in the week-long festival.