KOHIMA, June 11: The Northeast National Service Scheme (NSS) Festival 2025 officially commenced on June 11 at the Dzüü Resort in Rüsoma Village, Kohima, Nagaland. The event, organized by the NSS Cell under the Directorate of Youth Resources & Sports, Government of Nagaland, in collaboration with the Regional Directorate of NSS, Guwahati, is sponsored by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India. This year’s edition is being held under the national theme “Viksit Bharat.”
The week-long festival, taking place from June 10 to 14, brings together over 300 NSS volunteers and officials from the eight northeastern states. However, the delegation from Mizoram could not participate due to unforeseen circumstances, according to a DIPR report.
Nagaland Chief Minister, Dr. Neiphiu Rio, attended the inaugural ceremony as the chief guest. In his address, he hailed the festival as a “celebration of unity in diversity” and emphasized the importance of youth participation in fostering cultural exchange and community leadership.
“The youth are the heartbeat of any nation. You are our hope and our future. This festival is not just a gathering—it is a celebration of our shared humanity, our diverse cultures, and our common aspirations,” Dr. Rio said.
He stressed the need to preserve the cultural richness of the Northeast while promoting national unity. “Each of our states is unique… Yet it is through platforms like NSS that we come together to understand, respect, and learn from one another,” he remarked, encouraging participants to build friendships and maintain connections across states.
Dr. Rio applauded the NSS volunteers for their commitment to social service, noting their involvement in various initiatives such as health camps, disaster relief, blood donation drives, and cleanliness campaigns. “These are not small tasks. They are acts of nation-building. You are already leaders,” he affirmed.
Reflecting on his upbringing in an army-rooted family, the Chief Minister shared personal anecdotes highlighting values of discipline, integrity, and service. He praised the participants for wearing traditional attire and urged them to protect and promote their folk songs, dances, and languages, calling them vital parts of their identity.
Highlighting the NSS motto “Not Me, But You,” Dr. Rio encouraged the youth to embrace selflessness and service. He proposed a rotational hosting model for the NSS festival, suggesting that every northeastern state should have the opportunity to host and showcase its culture.
He concluded his address with a call to embrace service as a way of life, saying, “Service to man is service to God. Giving should become a tradition, a culture. We place our hope in you—the youth who are choosing to participate voluntarily in nation-building.”
