Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Sunday, 26 July 2026, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for spotlighting Tripura's traditional tribal instrument, the Chongpreng, and its exponent Surya Kumar Devbarma during the latest episode of Mann Ki Baat. Shekhawat called the recognition 'exemplary' (anukarniya), underscoring the government's continuing effort to bring indigenous northeastern art forms into national focus.

Context

In his post, Shekhawat wrote that Prime Minister Modi, in today's Mann Ki Baat, 'mentioned Tripura's traditional musical instrument the Chongpreng and praised Surya Kumar Devbarma.' The minister added the hashtag #MannKiBaat and described the gesture as 'exemplary.' The Chongpreng is a plucked string instrument native to the tribal communities of Tripura, a northeastern state with a rich but often under-documented musical heritage.

Surya Kumar Devbarma is a Tripura-based musician recognised for his mastery of the Chongpreng, an instrument that remains largely unknown outside the northeastern region. A prime-ministerial shout-out on a programme with a national radio audience of hundreds of millions carries significant cultural weight for such artists.

Policy Backdrop

Mann Ki Baat was launched by Prime Minister Modi in October 2014 as a monthly radio address covering governance, social issues, and cultural heritage. Over the years, successive episodes have periodically highlighted folk artists and instruments from northeastern states, reinforcing the government's stated aim of integrating regional heritage into national discourse.

The Ministry of Culture has supported the documentation and promotion of tribal musical traditions through schemes such as the Guru-Shishya Parampara, which has been operational since the early 2000s. Mentions of specific instruments or artists on Mann Ki Baat have, in the past, preceded targeted ministry support — such as documentation drives or inclusion in national cultural festivals — for those traditions.

Stakeholders and Impact

The most immediate beneficiary of such national-level recognition is Surya Kumar Devbarma himself, whose profile as a custodian of the Chongpreng tradition stands to rise significantly. More broadly, tribal musicians and northeastern artists gain visibility when the country's highest-rated radio programme turns its attention to their craft.

Cultural practitioners, scholars of intangible heritage, and tourism stakeholders in Tripura are also watching closely. A prime-ministerial mention can accelerate interest from cultural tourism circuits, academic documentation projects, and festival organisers seeking to showcase India's tribal musical diversity.

What's Next

Future Mann Ki Baat episodes may reference additional northeastern instruments or artists, continuing the pattern of regional cultural spotlight. Parliamentary or ministry announcements on intangible cultural heritage preservation schemes — particularly those covering tribal music — could follow in the weeks ahead.

For the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the episode offers a natural opening to announce or expand programmes that document and promote instruments like the Chongpreng, potentially linking them to the government's broader cultural diplomacy and 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' integration agenda.