Shillong, Sept 28: A month-long golden jubilee celebration of West Khasi Hills, marking completion of 50 years of the district, kicked off on Monday.
Inaugurating the celebration, Deputy Commissioner Hema Nayak looked back at the district’s five-decade journey and urged the younger generation to play a greater role in shaping its future.
She highlighted achievements in sports, music and academics, while pointing to the comparatively low participation of local youth in competitive examinations.
She called on young people to pursue civil services and other competitive examinations so that more officers from West Khasi Hills could contribute to the district and the state.
Superintendent of Police H Kharkongor recalled the challenges faced by the district during the years when militancy affected peace and development.
He said the district had since made significant progress towards becoming safer, but warned that drug abuse had emerged as a new challenge.
He called for collective efforts by communities, government departments and other stakeholders to safeguard peace and support the district’s continued development.
ADC V Swer traced the history of the district and recalled its formation on October 28, 1976.
The Golden Jubilee celebrations will culminate in a grand closing ceremony on October 28, 2026.
BDO Mawshynrut R Kharkongor and Assistant Commissioner Anju were among the dignitaries on the occasion.
The month-long programme will feature a range of activities, including kite flying, horse racing and other events aimed at bringing communities and government departments together.
The inaugural programme also saw the launch of the official Golden Jubilee logo and theme song, composed by Josephas Thongni.
Departmental futsal and basketball matches were also kicked off as part of the celebrations, bringing together officers and staff from different departments.
