Invitees, participants, dear friends.

I greet you all on this happy occasion, as we celebrate the Foundation Day of the States of Manipur, Meghalaya, and Tripura.

This commemoration of the foundation day of different states in the Raj Bhavans is part of the Union Government’s ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ initiative.

The princely states of Manipur and Tripura were merged with India in 1949, and subsequently became Union Territories in 1956.

Present-day Meghalaya was part of Assam at the time of Independence, and became an autonomous state in 1969.

On 21st January 1972, Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura became full-fledged states under the North Eastern Region (Re-organisation) Act, 1971.

Today, I am very happy that we are observing the Foundation Day of three Sister States of North East India.

This vibrant celebration showcases the diverse culture that our country is known for.

Our Hon’ble Prime Minister has spoken about our goal of becoming Viksit Bharat by 2047.

Towards this end, the North East has a key role to play.

We are strategically located in the eastern frontier of our country, surrounded by neighbouring countries which are in political turmoil.

Thus, we have a higher responsibility to maintain and preserve the integrity of our country.

It is only through peace and stability that development can be sustained.

In this age of conflicts and wars, we need to remain united more than ever as a Nation.

Let us continue to learn and celebrate each other’s cultures, which will make our bond grow stronger. It is for this purpose that events such as today’s are being organized.

Interaction with people from other regions breeds familiarity, which ultimately leads to unity.

I encourage all of you to nurture this eagerness to discover and explore other cultures.

As we all know, the North East in particular was largely neglected for a very long time. However, in the last decade or so, the Union Government led by Hon’ble Prime Minister has brought immense development to the region.

I am happy to witness that the North East has become much more integrated with the rest of the country.

I urge the youth to carry forward this cosmopolitan outlook, which will only bring further positive results.

In conclusion, I thank the speakers from the different states, and I convey my appreciation to all the performers for the beautiful cultural items.

It is my desire that today’s programme will lead to better appreciation of other cultures amongst the participants.

Let us continue to march together in our quest for a New India and a Vikshit Bharat.

I once again greet all of you on this joyous occasion.

Thank you.

Jai Hind!