Shillong Literary Festival 2026 Delhi Prelude: May 8-9 at Bikaner House
Synopsis
The Shillong Literary Festival is taking its cultural ambitions to the national capital — a two-day prelude at Bikaner House on 8-9 May will bring together Naseeruddin Shah, Shobhaa De, CM Conrad Sangma and Pulitzer Prize-winner Suparna Sharma to spotlight Meghalaya's Khasi and Garo heritage, ecology, and the Northeast's creative economy.
Key Takeaways
The Shillong Literary Festival 2026 – New Delhi Prelude will be held on 8 and 9 May 2026 at Bikaner House , New Delhi.
Organised by the Department of Tourism, Government of Meghalaya , the event is a curtain-raiser to the main Shillong Literary Festival.
Key speakers include Naseeruddin Shah , Shobhaa De , Suparna Sharma (Pulitzer Prize winner), and Shekhar Gupta .
Chief Minister Conrad K.
Sangma will be in conversation with Shekhar Gupta on the opening day.
Sessions will cover literature, ecology, identity, food, cinema, and Khasi and Garo cultural heritage.
Live performances by artists under the Chief Minister's Meghalaya Grassroots Music Programme (CM-MGMP) will also feature.
The Department of Tourism, Government of Meghalaya, will host the Shillong Literary Festival 2026 – New Delhi Prelude on 8 and 9 May at Bikaner House in the national capital, officials confirmed on Wednesday, 6 May. The two-day event serves as a curtain-raiser to the main Shillong Literary Festival and is designed to celebrate literature, culture, dialogue and creative exchange while spotlighting Meghalaya's growing stature as a cultural and creative hub.
Background and Origins
The Shillong Literary Festival was launched in 2021 by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma alongside former Japanese Ambassador Satoshi Suzuki. Over the years, it has grown into one of the Northeast India's most prominent literary and intellectual platforms, drawing writers, scholars, filmmakers, poets and thinkers from across India and abroad. The New Delhi edition is positioned to extend the festival's national footprint while reinforcing Meghalaya's vision of culture-led tourism.
Key Speakers and Highlights
The event will feature an impressive roster of cultural personalities, including actor Naseeruddin Shah, author Shobhaa De, Maharani Priyadarshini Raje Scindia, journalist and academic Sanjoy Hazarika, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Suparna Sharma, filmmaker Dominic Sangma, director Pradip Kurbah and editor Patricia Mukhim, among others.
A headline session on the opening day will feature a conversation between Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and senior journalist Shekhar Gupta, drawing attention to governance, culture and the Northeast's evolving identity on the national stage.
Sessions and Programme
The discussions will span literature, ecology, identity, governance, food, cinema, translation and indigenous traditions, with a special focus on Meghalaya's Khasi and Garo cultural heritage. Notable sessions include
Point of View
The festival attempts to bridge the persistent gap between mainstream Indian cultural discourse and the Northeast. The deeper question is whether such prelude events translate into sustained tourism flows and economic opportunity for Meghalaya's youth, or remain high-profile showcases that fade after the curtain falls. Culture-led tourism is a credible model, but it demands year-round infrastructure investment, not just festival calendars.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Shillong Literary Festival 2026 New Delhi Prelude?
It is a two-day curtain-raiser event organised by the Department of Tourism, Government of Meghalaya, scheduled for 8 and 9 May 2026 at Bikaner House in New Delhi. The prelude aims to celebrate literature, culture and creative exchange while building national awareness of Meghalaya's arts and cultural identity ahead of the main Shillong Literary Festival.
Who are the key speakers at the Shillong Literary Festival Delhi Prelude?
Prominent speakers include actor Naseeruddin Shah, author Shobhaa De, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Suparna Sharma, senior journalist Shekhar Gupta, filmmaker Dominic Sangma, director Pradip Kurbah, and editor Patricia Mukhim, among others. Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma will also participate in a headline conversation on the opening day.
When and where was the Shillong Literary Festival originally launched?
The Shillong Literary Festival was launched in 2021 by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma alongside former Japanese Ambassador Satoshi Suzuki. It has since grown into one of Northeast India's leading literary and intellectual platforms.
What topics will be discussed at the Delhi Prelude?
Sessions will cover literature, ecology, identity, governance, food, cinema, translation and indigenous traditions, with a special focus on Meghalaya's Khasi and Garo cultural heritage. Notable sessions include a reading by Naseeruddin Shah from Vikram Seth's Beastly Tales and a culinary discussion titled 'Shillong On A Plate'.
Why is Meghalaya organising this event in New Delhi?
According to officials, the New Delhi Prelude seeks to expand the festival's national outreach and reinforce Meghalaya's vision of culture-led tourism and a creative economy driven by literature, music, arts and cultural diplomacy. Meghalaya has increasingly promoted festivals and experiential tourism over recent years to create economic opportunities for its youth.
