Telangana will establish India’s first North East Annexe, says Chief Minister Revanth Reddy

Hyderabad witnessed a vibrant display of North Eastern culture on Thursday (November 20) evening as Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy opened the first phase of the “Telangana–Northeast Connect: A Techno Cultural Festival” at HITEX Exhibition Centre.

Speaking at the inauguration, Mr. Revanth Reddy said the festival was designed to celebrate cultural unity and strengthen ties between Telangana and the North Eastern states, it represented a bond that had long been overlooked. He said the North East was a vital part of India that had not received the acknowledgement it deserved. He recalled how, in the 1970s and 1980s, people from northern India would refer to all southern Indians as “Madrasi”, and explained that the North East had suffered a similar disregard. He told the gathering that Telangana would be a second home for people from the region.

The Chief Minister announced that Telangana would establish India’s first North East Annexe in the upcoming Bharat Future City, which spans 30,000 acres. “Free land and full support would be provided to allow each North Eastern State to construct its own North East Bhavan within the annexe. Telangana will work with the Union government to bring the project to fruition and Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma should lead the initiative,” he added.

Crowds began arriving at HITEX from 5 p.m., including many eminent personalities from the North Eastern states. The Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma, Tripura Governor Nallu Indrasena Reddy, ministers Jupally Krishna Rao, Ponnam Prabhakar, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and Seethakka, along with ministers from several North Eastern states, reached the venue around 6 p.m.

Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma felicitating Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy at the inaugural of the Telangana–North East Connect: A techno cultural festival bringing together the best of North East and Telangana on one platform to forge meaningful ties for a Viksit Bharat, in Hyderabad on Thursday (November 20, 2025).
| Photo Credit:
NAGARA GOPAL

Addressing the audience, Telangana Governor said the festival was possible only because of the support extended by the Telangana government. He described Hyderabad as a home to people from across the country, including a large community from the North East. He said the region was diverse and full of possibilities and that the festival aimed to explore opportunities in information technology, healthcare and the arts. The event has been sought to spark new ideas and dialogue that could improve lives. “A strong nation is one where the last person in a queue is treated with the same respect as the first. Unity cannot be achieved through slogans alone,” he added. 

The festival opened with a pageant parade that showcased cultural traditions from Telangana and all the North Eastern States. A pipe band from Telangana led contingents from across the region, each presenting distinctive cultural elements. This was followed by a Perini Shivatandavam performance, the Pung Cholom dance from Manipur, a music performance by Guru Rewben Mashangva from Nagaland and a Sattriya dance presentation from Assam.

The Chief Minister presented mementoes and certificates of appreciation to the artistes who performed during the inaugural programme. Speaking earlier, Tripura Governor Indrasena Reddy said that despite being a small State, Tripura had a thriving cultural ecosystem that included a music college and cultural clubs in small towns.

The event concluded with a qawwali performace by the Warsi Brothers. The festival will run in two phases, with events from November 20 to 22 at Hitex and from November 25 to 27 at the Raj Bhavan, and aims to bring the richness of north eastern culture to audiences in Telangana.