Sangyusang S. Pongener
A Nagaland guru who has preserved Ao Naga folk songs and dances for six decades, training 2,000 young artists, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
Guru Sangyusang Pongener has kept the songs and dances of the Ao Naga people alive for more than sixty years. In 2026 he was named for the Padma Shri in the field of art, from Nagaland [1].
Learning from the community
Pongener was born on 23 March 1945 [2]. After school and higher secondary education, he learned the folk traditions of his people through community life and from elders [2]. He has combined this knowledge with structured teaching [2].
Naga Wadir
He co-founded the Naga Wadir Welfare Cultural Club and has been its general secretary from the start, promoting folk dance and music [2]. Through it he has trained more than 2,000 young artists and mentored more than 100 apprentices [2]. His own folk compositions are performed locally, nationally and abroad [2]. Since 2024 he has also taught students under the Ministry of Culture’s Kala Deeksha programme [2].
He received the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 2002 and the Governor’s Award from the Government of Nagaland in 2017 [2].
Sources
- [1] Padma Awards 2026: list of awardees — Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Accessed 11 October 2026.
- [2] Padma Awards 2026 investiture ceremony brochure: citation for Sangyusang S. Pongener — Press Information Bureau, Government of India. Accessed 12 October 2026.
Last updated . First draft prepared with AI assistance; reviewed and fact-checked by a person before publishing. Report a correction
