‘Slain,’ a band from Bengaluru, won the 2010 Airtel Hornbill National Rock Contest here and bagged a cash award of Rs 5 lakh.
Nine bands were vying for the top award in the grand finale of the contest last night where 21 rock groups from various cities of the country took part. The event was part of the annual week-long Hornbill Festival which concluded here yesterday.
’Guillotine’ from Delhi and ‘Incipit’ from Nagaland took away the first and second runners-up respectively.
Organized by Music Task Force under sports and youth resources department and Bharti Airtel, the rock concert has been elevated to a national level competition since 2008.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, who was chief guest at the closing function of the Hornbill festival at Kisama Heritage Village near here, gave away prizes to the winners at I G stadium.
Interacting with media persons, Mr. Sangma said he was impressed by the very idea of the Hornbill festival which not only showcased the rich culture of the Nagas but also provided a platform to different Naga tribes to come together.
Mr. Sanmga said he was also toying with the idea of bringing the whole North-East together on the line of Hornbill festival in his State Meghalaya to make the region a cultural tourist destination.
The Meghalaya Chief Minister also lauded the Nagaland government for adding more colours to this year’s festival such as Naga Chilli eating competition, WW—II Jeep rally, car rally etc.
Meghalaya tourism minister Ampareen Lyngdoh said he was overwhelmed by active participation of Naga women in all social and cultural activities and urged them to take part in political activities asserting that women require political representation.
Marking the culmination of the festival, 14 vintage Jeeps of Second World War period drove for world peace from Dimapur to Kisama Heritage Village. The peace rally was received outside the WW II Museum, Kisama by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and his Meghalaya counterpart Mukul Sangma. Mr. Rio said the government would make the peace rally an annual event to remind the people about futility of violence and war.
The best World War vintage jeep award carrying cash prize of Rs 50,000 and memento was awarded to Ashok Lyngdoh, Vincent Rula and Kyrshan Divesh from Meghalaya.
Earlier, the Jeeps were brought to Niathu Resort, Dimapur from Shillong (4), Kohima (6) and Dimapur (4) and the rally was flagged off by State parliamentary secretary for culture and tourism Yitachu.
Kohima town was completely devastated in 1944 during the world war between invading Japanese army and Allied forces.