Meghalaya

In a historic move towards enhancing linguistic inclusion, the Meghalaya government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre's Digital India Bhashini Division to integrate the Garo and Khasi languages into the Bhashini platform. The MoU, signed on April 29, 2025, marks a pivotal moment in making the state's indigenous languages digitally accessible nationwide, empowering local communities and transforming governance. The Bhashini platform, an initiative by Digital India, aims to break down language barriers by providing seamless access to government services in over 22 languages. With the inclusion of Garo and Khasi, Meghalaya joins a select group of states advancing the digital accessibility of their native languages. Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, present at t...

A wave of quiet grief swept through Shillong on April 28, as most shops, markets, and businesses across the city closed their doors in a spontaneous tribute to the victims of the recent Pahalgam terror attack. The voluntary shutdown served as a powerful show of solidarity with the families of the 26 people who lost their lives in the April 22 incident. Throughout the day, the streets of Shillong wore a deserted look. Usually bustling areas such as Khyndailad, Laitumkhrah, and Polo saw minimal activity as residents chose to stay home in remembrance. The silence across the city stood as a stark contrast to the tragic violence that had unfolded in Pahalgam, uniting Shillong’s citizens in a collective moment of mourning. The previous evening, on April 27, emotions had run high at Khyndailad (...

The vibrant Shad Suk Mynsiem festival, a major cultural and religious celebration of the Khasi community, concluded on April 27 at Laitkor in Meghalaya. Organised by Seng Khasi Laitkor Pyllun, a branch of Seng Khasi Kmie, the two-day festival drew around 500 traditional dancers. Held at the Laitkor local grounds, the event expressed gratitude to the Creator for a bountiful harvest and sought blessings for the future. Participants paid homage to ancestral deities, Thawlang and Iawbei, through prayers, rituals, and the sacred dance. The festival was attended by leaders from Seng Khasi Laitkor, Seng Khasi Kmie, Seng Khihlang, MDC of Nongkrem Constituency Kitborlang Syiem, and Paiem Habapan Syiem of Khyrim Syiemship. Young women, dressed in traditional attire and wearing the Ka Pansngiat c...

In response to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, the Meghalaya government has directed security agencies to increase vigilance along its 443-km-long international border with Bangladesh. This move aims to bolster security following the heightened threat of cross-border terrorism. Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, who is currently in New Delhi en route to the Vatican for Pope Francis's funeral, is closely monitoring the state's security situation. While condemning the heinous Pahalgam attack, he has emphasized the need for enhanced coordination between state security forces and the Border Security Force (BSF) to safeguard the international border. A senior official from the home department confirmed that Sangma has instructed Nongrang to maintain close coordinat...

A team of researchers from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Kolkata, has recently discovered four spider species from Northeast India—two of which are new to science, and two reported for the first time from the country. These discoveries unveil the region’s rich yet underexplored arachnid diversity and highlight the importance of continued biodiversity research in one of the world’s most critical ecological hotspots. The newly described species include Psechrus chizami, discovered in Nagaland, and Psechrus nathanael, found in both Nagaland and Meghalaya. Psechrus chizami is named after its type locality, Chizami, while Psechrus nathanael is named in honour of Nathanael PA Newmai for his steadfast support during fieldwork. With these additions, the number of known Psechrus spec...

A city resident was arrested on Thursday for making anti-national comments on a video of a private news channel from Assam in connection with the Pahalgam terror attack. East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police, Vivek Syiem confirmed that one Simon Shylla (30), a resident of Umlyngka, had posted anti-national comments on a video aired by a news channel from Assam about the Pahalgam terror attack, using his Facebook account “Man Shylla”. Shylla had supported the terrorists in their killings and exhorted the terrorists to initiate such attacks on a particular community in the North East, the SP said, adding that he was threatening the unity and integrity of the country. After ascertaining his identity, police arrested Shylla from his residence at Umlyngka and seized two mobile phones...