The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, in coordination with MyGov, has announced the winners of the Painting Competition on North East India. The activity was organised as part of the Independence Day Celebrations 2026 and was linked to India@79.
The competition invited citizens to use painting to present the culture, achievements, development journey and aspirations of the North Eastern Region. It was open for entries from 6 July to 21 July 2026. According to the announcement, the activity received 613 submissions from participants across the country.
The North Eastern Region is referred to in the announcement as the group of eight North-Eastern States. The competition’s theme asked participants to look beyond a general celebration of art and focus specifically on the region’s heritage, progress and future aspirations. In that context, paintings could reflect cultural identity, development, achievements or the broader story of the region in India’s national life.
How the entries were evaluated
The entries were assessed by the designated Screening Committee of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region. The announcement listed several evaluation parameters, including creativity and originality, relevance to the theme, artistic skill and technique, colour combination and composition, neatness and presentation, and overall visual impact.
These criteria show that the selection was not based on a single element. A painting had to connect with the North East India theme, but it also had to show artistic quality, effective use of colour, careful presentation and a strong overall impression. The originality criterion also meant that entries were judged for how freshly and creatively they interpreted the subject.
Top three winners
The top three winners selected from the eight North-Eastern States are being felicitated with prizes. They also get the opportunity to witness the Independence Day Celebrations on 15 August 2026 at the Red Fort in New Delhi.
- Sonalikumari, Assam
- Anjali Sagar, Assam
- Sneha Paul, Assam
The Red Fort event is the central Independence Day celebration named in the announcement. For the top three winners, the recognition therefore includes both prizes and the chance to be present at the national celebration in Delhi.
Other winners announced
The next 10 winners are being felicitated with certificates. MyGov listed the following participants in the winners’ announcement:
- Rajib Agarwal, Gujarat
- Priyanka Sarkar, Jharkhand
- Sajal Srivastava, Uttar Pradesh
- Tanishka Singh, Tamil Nadu
- Kuljeet Singh, West Bengal
- Jiya Pandey, Karnataka
- Moksh Mishra, Karnataka
- Sreyasi Sarkar, Bihar
- Raghavi, National Capital Territory of Delhi
- Simi Bujarbarua, Bihar
The complete winners’ list includes participants from Assam, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Karnataka, Bihar and the National Capital Territory of Delhi. While the theme centred on North East India, the participation and certificate recognition reflected entries from different parts of the country.
The announcement thanked all participants for contributing their creativity to the Independence Day-related activity. It said their paintings added to the celebration of India@79 by using art to highlight the culture, achievements, development journey and aspirations of the North Eastern Region.
Source: MyGov Blog.