CM Pushkar Singh Dhami honoured Arunachal Pradesh theatre personality Tai Tugung with the Narendra Singh Negi Culture Award 2026 and launched an English translation of Negi’s songs.
Dehradun saw an extensive celebration of the art, literature, and folklore of the Himalayas in the form of the presentation of the Narendra Singh Negi Culture Award Ceremony 2026, attended by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. It brought attention back to the cultural legacy of the region and its preservation for posterity.
Award Presentation to Tai Tugung
As part of the programme, Chief Minister Dhami presented the Narendra Singh Negi Culture Award 2026 to Tai Tugung, a well-known theatre person, actor, and playwright of Arunachal Pradesh.
This award recognizes outstanding contribution in social, literary, cultural and folk arts in the Himalayan states. It also highlighted the cultural linkages between the communities living in the Himalayan region.
Book Release on the Songs of Negi
One of the highlights of the ceremony was the release of “Mountain Melodies of Narendra Singh Negi,” the English translation of some of the songs sung by the famous Uttarakhand folk singer. The book is authored by Utkarsh Bhatt.
It is hoped that this publication will help Negi’s folk songs and the cultural world of Uttarakhand to reach new audiences both within India and outside it. The songs of Negi are very much connected with the life of the people living in the state.
Dhami Emphasizes Importance of Culture Preservation
While addressing the conference, Chief Minister Dhami emphasized the importance of culture of the state and pointed out Narendra Singh Negi’s contribution in bringing about more awareness about the culture of the state through his work.
As per the government, preservation of folk languages, arts, and culture, and linking of the younger generation with their cultural heritage is one of the top priorities of the government.
The government also mentioned projects such as the Himalayan Cultural Centre, gallery, and museum in Dehradun as the steps taken by the government in making Uttarakhand known as a cultural-literature destination.
Help for Folk Artists
As per the information provided by the government, 275 cultural groups and 226 artists have been registered. Also, there is a provision of pension of ₹6,000 per month for elderly and poor artists, writers and literary figures which is being provided to 180 people.
Workshops of six months’ duration under the program ‘Guru-Shishya’ are also organized for motivating younger people to adopt traditional art forms.
Two Literature Villages to Be Established
Dhami has additionally expressed the intent of establishing two ‘Literature Villages’ in the state of Uttarakhand. This will be done by setting up facilities for writers in terms of providing accommodation, library and discussion forums. These steps clearly reveal the efforts made by the government of Uttarakhand in preserving the cultural heritage of the state.