GUWAHATI, Aug 5 - An event titled �Colours of North-East� was organised at Hotel Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, on August 1 with the objective of creating awareness about India�s North East and to promote tourism and filmmaking in the region.
The programme was attended, among others, by top industrialists of Mumbai, journalists, writer Sobha De and filmmakers Kiran Rao, Anurag Basu, Ronnie Lahiri, Mehul and Shyam Singhania.
Around 30 top tour operators of Mumbai also participated in the event organised by socio-cultural trust Trend MMS, in association with Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai.
The programme started with a tribute to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. It was followed by a presentation on Arunachal Pradesh as a tourism and filmmaking destination by Dr Joram Beda, Secretary, Tourism, Government of Arunachal Pradesh.
Dr Beda spoke about the exotic locations of Arunachal Pradesh and invited the tourists and tour operators to visit the State. He also invited the prominent filmmakers of Mumbai to shoot films in Arunachal Pradesh and highlighted the various incentives proposed by the Arunachal Government for film tourism in the State.
Manik Sharma, Managing Director, Assam Tourism Development Corporation, showcased Assam as an ideal tourism destination and highlighted various tourism circuits, including wildlife circuits, cultural tourism destinations, etc. An audio-visual show on Assam tourism highlighted the diverse destinations of Assam. He also interacted with the tour operators of Mumbai.
The cultural programme featured Grammy Award nominee monks of Bomdila, Moa & Abiogenesis, and violinist Sunita Khound with special appearances by singer Angarag Mahanta and Anaya Brahma. There were also Naga folk dance items, etc. Ace Mumbai designer Vaishali, Assamese designer Kankana Konwar, and Meghalaya designer Daniel showcased top fabrics of the region with top models of the region and outside. Supermodel Dipannita Sharma was the show-stopper.
Journalists Shekhar Gupta spoke about the North East as a destination �which was pure and ready for tourism activities.� He also recollected his long experience with the North East and spoke about the various facets of the region.
Adi Godrej, owner of the Godrej Group, spoke about Godrej�s presence in the North East and mentioned his �good experience� in investing in various North Eastern States.
Writer Sobha De stressed the need for the rest of India to understand the North East which, she said, was a �uniquely beautiful part of the country.� RK Krishna Kumar, former chairman of Tata Tea, spoke about the Tata Group�s involvement in the North East.
Filmmakers Ronnie Lahiri and Kiran Rao dwelt on the North East as a filmmaking destination and showed their willingness to explore the region. Ajay Kanoujia, Director (North East) in the Union Home Ministry, invited the filmmakers present to explore the North East as a filmmaking destination.
Shyamkanu Mahanta, the chief organiser of the event, informed the media that the North East, with improved security and huge focus from the Government, was ready for tourism and filmmaking.
�The region with its unmatched beauty has the potential to become the most attractive tourism and filmmaking destination in the country. Many prominent filmmakers have shown their interest in shooting in the region,� he said.
Ranjit Barthakur, president of the organising committee, also addressed the gathering.
