Neiphiu Rio congratulates Padma Shri awardee Guru Sangyusang Pongener for preserving Naga folk heritage.
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DIMAPUR — Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Tuesday congratulated Padma Shri awardee Guru Sangyusang Pongener, describing his six decades of work in preserving Naga folk heritage as an inspiration.
Earlier in the day, President Droupadi Murmu presented the Padma Shri Award 2026 to Pongener at the second Civil Investiture Ceremony held at the Ganatantra Mandap of Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
In a message shared on social media, Rio said: “Warm congratulations to Guru Sangyusang Pongener on being conferred the Padma Shri Award 2026 in the field of Art. His lifelong commitment to preserving the rich folk heritage of Nagaland over the past six decades is inspiring. I wish him continued success in all his endeavours.”
Pongener, one of Nagaland's foremost cultural custodians, was conferred the Padma Shri 2026 for his contribution to the preservation and promotion of Ao-Naga folk arts and traditions.
Born on March 23, 1945, in Ungma village of Mokokchung district, Pongener has dedicated more than six decades to documenting, teaching and promoting indigenous folk songs, dances and cultural practices. Widely known as Guru Pongener, he has trained thousands of young artistes and personally mentored more than 100 apprentices, many of whom continue to perform and teach on regional, national and international platforms.
In 1982, he co-founded the Naga Wadir Club, a cultural organisation devoted to safeguarding indigenous heritage, and continues to serve as its general secretary.
His contribution to Naga culture has previously been recognised through the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2002, the title of Guru conferred by the North East Zone Cultural Centre in collaboration with IGNOU in 2014, the Governor's Award in 2017 and an Achievement Certificate from the Music Task Force in 2018.
The Padma Shri citation recognised his “exceptional achievements and innovative contribution to Ao-Naga folk arts”.
Following the announcement of the award earlier this year, Pongener described the honour as a collective achievement and urged younger generations to reconnect with their roots and preserve the cultural traditions that define Naga identity.
“There are changes with time, but our folk songs, dances, values and traditions must be preserved with utmost sincerity,” he had said.