The 1st Shillong Literary Festival was inaugurated by Hon’ble Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and Japanese Ambassador H.E. Satoshi Suzuki in 2021. The 3-day event at Ward’s Lake and Polo Ground drew 50,000 attendees; it featured various activities and the launch of 4 new books, including "Marriage" by Devdutt Patnaik. Author, Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih, Indian writer and publisher Ritu Menon and Indian actor Naseerudin Shah were the notable speakers during the Shillong Cherry Blossom Literary Festival in 2021.
The reading hub, a space for guests to read, interact with writers, and donate books, opened with a lively performance of "The Hills Are Alive" by the Aroha Choir. The day then unfolded with a thought-provoking conversation, "Between the Lines," featuring renowned Indian journalists Shekhar Gupta and David Laitphlang. The key speakers who had graced the First Edition were: Christine G Momin, Darhmingliani Suting, Dasumarlin Majaw, Madeline Tham, Naphibahun Lyngdoh, Daiarisa Rumnong, Dokatchi Marak and Ramona Sangma.
