The event also befittingly marks the South Asian Heritage Month celebrations in the U.K., a report by Asian Lite News
Aadya Pujya organised by Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence at The Bhavan, London becomes the first dance performance ever on Ganesha Avatara Stotra from Mudgala Purana. The event was part of promoting Sanskrit and Indian Culture in collaboration with the Central Sanskrit University, New Delhi.
The event also befittingly marks the South Asian Heritage Month celebrations in the U.K., as Sanskrit and classical dances bear the history and heritage of millennia
Ganesha Avataras
The captivating Music and Dance showcase included presentation by thirty-eight young and professional artists to a hall full of enthralled audience.
Traditional lighting of the lamp by Dr MN Nandakumara, Dr Rishi Handa, Tejendra Sharma, Cllr Karthik Bonkur and Cllr Sharad Jha was followed by Veena recital by renowned artist Pramod Rudrapatna. He was accompanied on Mrudangam by Satheesh Gummadavelly. Dances by Shayaree Priya Meghe from India, Shreya Khare and Kritika Vulchi’s Ganapati were impressive.
Pramod Rudrapatna on Veena, Satheesh G on Mrudangam
The sublime finale piece of eight forms of Ganesha was performed in Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Mohiniattam, Kuchipudi, Kavadi dance styles and noteworthily included Kalaripayattu martial art movements. Performed by Anvi Prabhu, Hrishikesh Kizhikkiyil, Lakshmi Pillai, Manju Sunil, Monidipa Seal, Ragasudha Vinjamuri, Sanvika Kommineni and Sree Lalitha Kotla, the stories of demons such as Matsarasura, Ahamkarasura, Krodhasura, Madasura, Lobhasura, etc. conquered and subdued by Ganesha in his various Avataras of Vakratunda, Dhumravarna, Lambodara, Vighnaraja, Mahodara were profound as they focused not only on spiritual wisdom, but also on how challenges can be overcome through resilience, realisation and moral conduct.
Invocation by Sanskruti Students
Adithi Mote, Ahana Hegde, Ananya, Anuja Tirumalasetti, Ayati Yuvaraj, Devanshi Uppula, Diya Viswanath, Diya Shanmugam, Meera Shaji, Sanvitha Gunda, Sai Samruddhi Vuthpala, Shravani Sivashankar, Sucheta Mangalagiri, Sweccha Manikireddy, Vanamala Acha, Vinmai Gopathi, and Yoshitha Chamarthi, Deekshaga Saravanan, Janani Rajesh, Jananyasri Karthik, Madhusri Prasanna, Sanvi Kumar, and Sanvi Pavan have presented invocations to Ganesha. Music was composed and sung by Phani Narayana.
Attendees have responded enormously to the content of the event, anchored by Radhika Joshi and Sushil Rapatwar. The evening concluded with food from Shreeya’s Restaurant, coordinated by Harinath Lingala and Renu Gidoomal.
Invocation to Ganesha by Sanskruti studentsDhumravarna conquers Ahamkarasura Guests of Honour at Aadya Pujya eventManju, Anvi and Monidipa Sanvika, Lakshmi, Sree LalithaHrishikesh KizhikkiyilShreya and KritikaShayeeree MegheGanesha AnjaliAnchoring by Radhika JoshiVote of ThanksRagasudha as Vakratunda
The Nehru Centre, London has hosted a vibrant event marking the recognition of Garba as Intangible Cultural Heritage of India by UNESCO recently.
Organised by Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence, the multi-dimensional aspects of the event included Master Class on Garba, commemoration of Garba’s cultural significance and live Garba performances.
Dep. Director of Nehru Centre Sanjay Sharma’s opening words
Sanjay Sharma, Deputy Director of TNC gave his opening remarks on the occasion, and the concept note was presented by Ragasudha Vinjamuri, Founder of Sanskruti Centre. Traditional Garba song was presented by Pravina Vandra and Vasanti Parmar.
Presenting of traditional Garba songs
Tributes to Garba through performances were presented by Dr Krishna Patel and Dina Kukadia. Senior performer, folklore singer Satish Shah engaged audiences with his master class on Garba, supported by his team members Rashmita Shah and Jyoti Shah.
Garba by DStyle Artists
Dhvani and Dhru representing D-Style Dance to Inspire presented the finale garba performance that captivated the audience. Ovessa Iqbal and Sanjay Kumar Sutar from the High Commission of India were in attendance at the program, besides other community leaders.
Coinciding with Mental Health Week, Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence together with APPG for Dance recently organised a fascinating event titled “The Role of Dance in Health, Wellbeing, and Community Cohesion”.
Hosted by Baroness Fraser in the presence of Co-Chair Baroness Hooper, Baroness Mobarik, and Baroness Sater at the House of Lords, the event had thought-provoking presentations and dance & movement demonstrations that captivated the full house of attendees.
Baroness Fraser speaking about the role of Dance and engagement
Captain Munish Chauhan, Surgical Registrar in the British Army spoke on combat stress and stress management, Gulnaz Brennan, Founder of SheInspires Network spoke on how dance empowers survivors of domestic violence and supports mental well-being, Chanukya Rajagopala spoke on how the concept of Bollyfit was amalgamating different genres of dance, and Singer-Songwriter Renu Gidoomal spoke on the impact of music on Dementia that engaged the attendees very well.
Renu Gidoomal’s presentation at Sanskruti’s event
Sarah Quraishi, Press Advisor at the High Commission of India spoke on strengthening the Living Bridge through dance and performing arts.
Lakshmi Pillai through Bharatanatyam, Hrishikesh Kizhikkiyil through centuries-old martial art form Kalaripayattu, and Dr. Adriana through Odissi demonstrated movements that help in muscle strength, coordination, blood circulation, and posture. Ragasudha Vinjamuri, Founder of Sanskruti Centre, spotlighted the benefits of dance therapy in Down’s and autistic children and has also performed a calming genre of dance presentation.
Attendees at the Role of Dance event
Sushil Rapatwar and Manju Sunil coordinated the flow of the event which concluded with acknowledgements to all presenters, who have come from all over England. Audiences shared excellent feedback about how rich and meaningful the content was.
Sarah Quraishi of High Commission of India at Sanskruti Centre’s Role of Dance eventPerformances at Sanskruti’s event Performances at Sanskruti’s event
The program began with opening words by Amish Tripathi, Director of the Nehru Centre, followed by a cultural outset that included a Vedic hymn presented by Atmadeep Bhattacharjee…reports Asian Lite News
Befitting to South Asian Heritage Month, a felicitous talk on the Relevance of Natyashastra in the modern world was organised by Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence at the Nehru Centre in London recently. The keynote speaker was Professor Radhavallabh Tripathi, a towering personality in Sanskrit and Hindi literature who specialises in Natyashastra.
Amish Tripathi speaking at Natyashastra event
The program began with opening words by Amish Tripathi, Director of the Nehru Centre, followed by a cultural outset that included a Vedic hymn presented by Atmadeep Bhattacharjee, Kathak by Priya Kushwaha, Bharatanatyam by Manju Sunil and instrumental diversity by Dr Anjali Sharma Tiwari.
Prof. RV Tripathi speaking on Relevance of Natyashastra
Prof. Radhavallabh presented the mantle of 36 chapters of Natyashastra covering music, musical instruments, architecture, theatre, diction, dance, aesthetic pleasure and purushartha, besides a quick overview of the rest of the chapters. Dr Nandakumara and author John Farndon gave their inputs highlighting the importance of ancient knowledge & its preservation. On the occasion, the work carried by Sanskruti Centre’s Ragasudha Vinjamuri on another important 14th-century treatise on dance called Sangitacandra was mentioned, and the monumental efforts by Dr Rajendran- in translating 750 of the 2100 shlokas in the work elaborated.
Ragasudha Vinjamuri announcing the efforts on Sangitacandra text
Present on the occasion while sharing this important milestone were Cllr. Sharad Kumar Jha, Cllr Chandra Muvvala and Cllr Govind Bharadia. Divya Mathur, who was present in the audience said” It was an extraordinary event, Tripathiji’s talk was scholarly and delicious and the audience was very mixed- comprising of authors, artists, authors etc”.
Prof. Radhavallabh Tripathi at Natyashastra event
The vote of thanks was rendered by Sushil Rapatwar and the proceedings of the event were conducted by Radhika Joshi.
Dr Anjali Sharma Tiwari presenting instrumental diversityPriya, Manju and Atmadeep presenting culturals at Natyashastra eventHearing about Relevance of Natyashastra
High Commissioners, Ambassadors, and Diplomats of five countries came together to unequivocally accentuate the role of cultural diversity in achieving greater understanding among peoples and nations.
Lord Sahota and Diplomats at Maitri event
The salient event is organised by the arts charity Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence under the aegis of former Energy and Climate Change Minister Baroness Verma and parliamentary host Lord Sahota at the House of Lords, marking the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.
The event titled MAITRI had Her Excellency High Commissioner of Uganda Mrs. Nimisha Madhvani, His Excellency High Commissioner of Malawi Dr Thomas Bisika, Her Excellency High Commissioner of Sri Lanka Mrs. Saroja Sirisena, His Excellency Ambassador and former Foreign Secretary of Nepal Mr Gyan Chandra Acharya share their thoughts on cultural diversity as a vital part of sustainable development.
The countries also have key historical, economic, and trade ties with India, among others, and serve as stellar examples of having benefited from the diversity of both indigenous and migrant populations. The Honorary Consul of Suriname Dr Amwedhkar Jethu sent his message and best wishes on the occasion.
Speech by H.E. High Commissioner of Uganda
Music and Dance presentations such as Bantu song & instrumental (Uganda) by Steven Kasamba, Aboubacar Konate and Jo Mbabazi, Sakela (Nepal) by Deepa Khanal, Nyishi (Arunachal Pradesh) by Vanamala Acha, Rabum Kriddabhiniham (Thai) by Suptachara Kananitikul and classical dance presentation on doing good for humanity by Ragasudha Vinjamuri were very captivating.
Speech by H.E. High Commissioner of Malawi
Sushil Rapatwar, Former Deputy Chair, BNCA presented a reflection on Cultural Humility, Dr Marek Arszulowicz from the University of Sunderland in London spoke on Cultural Competence & Productivity, and Rajanikanth Pasupuleti from Aylesbury Telugu Community spoke on the Landscape of Diversity.
The event concluded with acknowledgments and a Vote of Thanks.
Speech by H.E. High Commissioner of Sri LankaSpeech by H.E. Ambassador of NepalFelicitationsThai presentation by SupatcharaIndian Classical DanceSakela presentation by Deepa Nyishi presentation by Vanamala Bantu Arts presentation Sushil Rapatwar speaking on the occasionDr Marek Arszulowicz speaking on the occasionRajanikanth Pasupuleti speaking on the occasion
The event was organised by Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence in association with the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Modern Languages supported by the Chartered Institute of Linguists, reports Asian Lite News
18 languages were presented and highlighted at the House of Lords of British Parliament marking the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development. The event was organised by Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence in association with the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Modern Languages supported by the Chartered Institute of Linguists.
Sushil Rapatwar presenting Sanskrit poem
Parliamentary host Baroness Garden of Frognal emphasised the importance of languages and lauded the organisers for bringing together meaningful linguistic content. Poems, mostly self-authored by the diaspora members in the UK, were presented in Sanskrit, Assamese, Bengali, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Marathi, Odiya, Punjabi, Sindhi, Telugu and Nepali.
Baroness Garden rendering opening words
Also highlighted were some of the scripts such as Takri, Sharda, and Mithilakshar. Founder of Sanskruti Centre Ragasudha Vinjamuri, who herself presented her Telugu poem, spoke about Tai Khamti language of Arunachal Pradesh, which is the only language of the two in Arunachal which has a script. She mentioned that just about 20 000 people are currently speaking Tai Khamti language. She further added that the language is on the verge of decline and NGOs like Tai Khamti Heritage and Literature Society are working hard on language preservation and documenting projects. An age-old rhyme Koh-aui-Koh translated into English by Chow Kalingna Mnanoi was also included in the booklet Ramaneeyam- The Beauty of Expression brought out on the occasion.
The immensely vibrant program involved poetry recitation by Doctors, Councillors, University educators, members of the British armed forces, Chartered Accountants, Artists, and IT professionals namely Gitanjali Cox, Sayoni Batabyal, Lalit Sharma, Mukesh Karelia, Tithi Dani, Radhika Joshi, Dr Shafalica Bhan Kotwal, Dr Bernadette Pereira, Cllr Sharad Kumar Jha, Cllr Dr Ganga Sivakumar, Rupali Shilankar, Anushree Pattnaik, Captain Munish Chauhan, Renu Gidoomal, Sushil Rapatwar, Durga Prasad Pokhrel and Ragasudha Vinjamuri. Amandeep has presented a tribute to Gurus through a brief classical song.
Assamese poem presented by Gita Cox
Dr Nandita Sahu, Attache (Hindi and Culture) from the High Commission of India has given concluding remarks. In attendance were also Prof. Terry Lamb (Professor of Languages and Head of the Westminster Centre for Teaching Innovation at the University of Westminster), Philip Harding-Esch (Secretariat, APPG- Modern Languages), Chandru Gidoomal, Dr Nishebita Das, Sunil Sood and Sanjeev Kumar of HCI, among others.
Multilingual presenters at WDCD 2023Multilingual presenters at WDCD eventSindhi poem recitation by Renu GidoomalTelugu poem recitation by Ragasudha Vinjamuri
The seven Tandavas of Lord Shiva were presented through a variety of dance forms
Sapta Tandava- a theme that remained unexplored in the dancing scene in Britain, was presented at The Bhavan recently.
Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence has pioneered another interesting subject- the seven Tandavas of Lord Shiva, which were presented through a variety of dance forms- Yakshagana, Odissi, Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Mohiniattam, and Kuchipudi.
Amish Tripathi speaking at Sivoham event.
The event titled Sivoham was attended by 300+ audiences coming from different parts of England. Renowned Author Amish Tripathi, Minister (Culture & Education), and Director of Nehru Centre, London was the Chief Guest of the function where he befittingly gave the opening words on Shiva, his reverence and relevance.
He also commended the artists and the organisers for bringing out such a salient subject. Invocation to Shiva was rendered through classical and tribal dances by young and old alike, on Panchakshari stotra and rare folklore.
Sapta Tandavas were then beautifully presented by Shivani Bhandari, Arya Arun, Yogindra Maravante, Lakshmi Aveen, Ragasudha Vinjamuri, Manju Sunil, and Dr. Pritha Dasmahapatra, while the context of each Tandava was explained as a prelude.
Folklore Invocation to Lord Shiva
Centuries-old compositions of Shahuji Maharaj of Tanjavur,(Chhatarapati Shivaji’s grand nephew) Mahadeva Sambho of Andhra Pradesh, etc. in Sanskrit, Marathi, and Telugu were used for the depiction.
The concept is conceived and executed by Ragasudha Vinjamuri, who herself presented one of the Tandavas, Dr. Mattur Nandakumara, Executive Director of The Bhavan felicitated the artists. The vote of thanks was rendered by Sushil Rapatwar and the program was anchored by Radhika Joshi and Raj Agrawal.
Invocation
Invocaton dances were presented by Devanshi Patel Uppula, Swechha Manikireddy, Harsheta Pratap, Vutpala Sai Samruddhi, Diya Shanmugam, Sucheta Mangalagiri, Kaavya Rapatwar, Ayati Yuvaraj, Shravani Shivashankar, Aditi Mote, Madhusri Prasanna, Darshika Vijay, Sreehitha Shunkishala, Pritika Sivakumar, Medha Sunil, Dr. M Srinivasa Rao, Vanamala Accha, Ahana Hegde, Ananya, Shirisha Devraj and Shreya.
Sanskruti Centre has been presenting culturally and socially important subjects through classical dance, researching & highlighting folk and tribal dance traditions and linguistic diversity of India for the past 14 years in the UK.
Sivapanchakshari Stotra presentationAnanda Tandava by Shivani BhandariSandhya Tandava by Arya Arun
Kalika Tandava by Yogindra Maravante Vijaya Tandava by Lakshmi AveenOordhva Tandava by Ragasudha Vinjamuri Uma Tandava by Manju SunilSamhara Tandava by Dr Pritha Dasmahapatra
Sapta TandavasAppluading Sapta Tandava
A section of audiences at Sivoham
“I wish to translate Bharat Bhagya Vidhata book into English and release it in the UK in collaboration with Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence. I also wish to felicitate some senior and young cultural ambassadors in the UK to express appreciation.I am very glad to associate with Sanskruti Centre which has been doing great work in highlighting the cultural and linguistic diversity of India.”
Poetess and well-known philanthropist Manju Lodha has always been a keen promoter of literature and culture. She has been consistently taking initiatives to improve literacy & public speaking among women. She now collaborates with Sanskruti Centre, UK for cultural and literary initiatives in the UK.
In a conversation with Asian Lite, she outlines her ideas and plans for the foreseeable future.
AL: Tell us how you feel about visiting London periodically.
ML: London and Londoners give me so much affection and warmth, that I always feel I am only visiting my second home. I made several friends here over a period of time. When I attend occasions such as Holi and Gangaur. I do note that people in the UK are very passionate about celebrating traditions.
AL: You are keen on promoting art and culture. What is your vision?
There is an immense delight in bringing out our art forms, giving us huge inner satisfaction. The link between arts and happiness is well known. For example, when Lord Krishna played the flute, it made everyone around him happy. Similarly, Lord Nataraja’s dance is the touchstone for delight and joy. As I hail from Rajasthan, I am keen that the art forms of Rajasthan such as majestic Ghoomar and Kalbelia should be showcased to wider audiences, especially through arts organisations such as Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence. As there is also Rajasthan Association in London, we can all come together and do wonderful programs.
AL: What is your most cherished memory?
ML: Our Foundation has organised the 50th year of Ai Mere Watan Ke Logon song in Mumbai in 2014. Lata Mangeshkarji, Kavi Pradeepji’s daughter, honorable Narendra Modiji, and other dignitaries were in attendance, with about 150 000 audiences. I have invited the soldiers, decorated officers, and families of the deceased to attend this function. Felt really blessed when all the 150 000 sang this song, which overwhelmed the soldiers. After this event, I published a book exclusively on all the Param Veera Chakra recipients and other officers.
AL: You have actively been authoring books and published several so far. Tell us about your upcoming book.
ML: My next book is ready. Titled Bharat Bhagya Vidhata, the book is in Hindi and includes the stories of freedom fighters and patriots who laid down their lives for the nation. I have especially included some unsung heroes so that their sacrifices are made known wider. In fact, we should have statues erected as a mark of respect, and as a way of raising public awareness about them. We are in an environment where the young generation can name 25 film heroes but cannot even name 5 real heroes who lived and led by example. It is our duty to highlight selfless efforts of such people in getting independence and pay tributes to them in the way we can.
I wish to translate Bharat Bhagya Vidhata book into English and release it in the UK in collaboration with Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence. I also wish to felicitate some senior and young cultural ambassadors in the UK and express appreciation. I am very glad to associate with Sanskruti Centre which has been doing great work in highlighting the cultural and linguistic diversity of India. I wish to do some joint programs whenever I visit Britain henceforth.
AL: What would be your message for others?
ML: There is always a payback time to society and to the country, and we should do our part. Thanks to leaders such as honorable Modiji under whose able leadership India is becoming Vishwa Guru again. Why not we too contribute our bit and make the world a better place.
Vote of Thanks by Sushil Rapatwar and Ragasudha Vinjamuri
Padma Shri awardee Bob Blackman MP and Baroness Verma, Chair for UN Women UK were Guests of Honour, reports Asian Lite News
The Republic Day of India celebrations were organised recently by Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence in association with the Nehru Centre (ICCR, London), High Commission of India, and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Named Sanskruti Darshayaami, the event was held at The Bhavan with a stage tableau representing dance forms of different regions of India and music presentations.
Hosted by Ravi Sharma of Lyca Media and Chinmayee, the program consisted of some of the rarely seen folk art forms of India. After rendering of the national anthem by all, followed by a brief roundup of celebrations in Delhi, video messages by H.E. High Commissioner of India Mrs. Gaitri Issar Kumar, President of ICCR Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe and Minister (Culture) and Director of the Nehru Centre Amish Tripathi were played.
Nyishi dance, Arunachal Pradesh
Tributes to the freedom fighters were paid through a presentation on Andaman and Cellular Jail by Sushil Rapatwar. Video message by Ranjit Savarkar, grandnephew of Veer Savarkar was played as a prelude. Best wishes by honorable Chief Ministers of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Shri Pema Khandu were printed in the booklet “Gamanam” released on the occasion and disseminated to all.
Padma Shri awardee Bob Blackman MP and Baroness Verma, Chair for UN Women UK were Guests of Honour. While Bob spoke on trade & economy and hailed the diaspora for the contributions to public service and private industry as the living bridge between the UK and India, Baroness Verma reiterated how important it is to remember the sacrifices made by the ancestors for attaining Independence. She hailed Sanskruti Centre and other organisations engaged in teaching cultural aspects and concluded with “We don’t know where we are going to if we don’t know where we came from”.
Dance of Rabhas, Assam
In his speech, Dr. Nandakumara ardently remembered Kanhaiyalal M Munshiji, founder of The Bhavan and an important person in the making of the Constitution of India and expressed his happiness for the Republic Day of India celebrations taking place at The Bhavan fittingly. He emphasised the importance of Vidya and Kala.
The fully packed hall of audiences enjoyed the rich cultural tapestry showcased on the stage. They included dances from Assam (Rabha), Arunachal Pradesh (Nyishi), Chhattisgarh (Gabar), Karnataka (Kamsale and Kolata), Kerala (Thiruvathira), Ladakh (Shondol), Odisha (Odissi), Rajasthan (Kalbelia), Telangana (Mathuri), Uttar Pradesh (Kajari) and West Bengal (Rabindra Nritya). Bhojpuri song was presented by Sangeeta Prasad from Birmingham. Shiva- The Indian Youth Choir of England, artistically led by Rakesh Joshi from Manchester and accompanied by Tabla by Rakesh Jugal, fittingly concluded the cultural program with shlokas and songs. Singers in this amazing choir were the young & talented Saanvi Akula, Tanvi Sharma, Jyothi Pallavaram, Prerna Thakkar, Ved Vyas, Ambika Sharma, Shruthi Ranjani Murli, Aadhyasree Praveen, Veer Thakkar, Mithra Pallavaram.
Gabar dance, Chhattisgarh
Rabha dance was presented by Shouri Kokkonda & Sravanthi Tadakamalla, Nyishi dance was presented by Pinky Talegaonkar, Jahnavi Chitte and Harshada Bandreddi, Gabar dance was presented by Vishakha Tokikar and Mona Jethwa Patel, Kamsale/Kolata was presented by Harsha Srinivas, Hamsa Rajashekar, Akshata Bhat, Vyshali Gowda, Ramaa Rao, Sujatha Byrappa, Sriranjani Simha, Pratima Gowda, Sindhu Harsha, Rekha Kandikere, Rashmi Hegde and Neeti Prasad, Shondol dance was presented by Santhi Aripirala, Suvarchala Madireddy, & Swarnalata Pasupuleti, Thiruvatira was presented by Manju Sunil, Deepa S Nair, Maya Joseph, Ancy Joe, Lakshmi Aveen and Lakshmi Vineeth, Odissi was presented Pritha Dasmahapatra, Kalbelia was presented by Dr Piyali Basu, Prerita Basu, Siya Malik, Reva Mehta and Varshita Vanka, Mathuri dance was presented by Vanamala Accha, Ananya & Anuja Tirumalasetti, Kajari was presented by Priya Amit Kumar’s Vishwam Dance Academy, by Vaishali Srivastava Nagpal, Karishma Dalal, Tanisha Atri, Rakshika Chaudhary, Sharda Chaudhri, Akanksha Sinha, & Neetu Singh, and Rabindra Nritya is presented by Ankita Pal, Sanchita Bhattacharya, Sreyashi Deb Roy and Radhika Ghosh.
Vote of Thanks was presented by Ragasudha Vinjamuri, who has also conceptualised the program.
Baroness Verma speaking at Sanskruti DarshayaamiPresentation on AndamanBob Blackman MP speaking at Sanskruti DarshayaamiHost Ravi Sharma at Sanskruti DarshayaamiShondol dance, LadakhKamsale and Kolata dances, KarnatakaTiruvathira dance, KeralaDr Nandakumara speaking at Sanskruti Darshayaami Kalbelia dance, RajasthanMathuri dance, TelanganaShiva, Indian Youth Choir of EnglandBhojpuri song, BiharOdissi dance, OdishaChinmayee TK at Sanskruti DarshayaamiKajari dance, Uttar PradeshRabindra Nritya presenters
An interesting webinar highlighting the role and impact of economy, education, diplomacy, art and media in nation-building post-pandemic was organised by Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, London.
Experts and eminent speakers included Rohit Vadhwana- First Secretary (Economic and Press & Information) at the High Commission of India, five times presidential awardee Lt. Gen. Shokin Chauhan- former Director-General of Assam Rifles, Professor Jyotsna Tiwari- academic at NCERT, India, Patrick Holden- Development Manager at The Bhavan, London and Ketan Trivedi- senior journalist and Editor- Digital at Chitralekha publication, India.
Lt. Gen. Chauhan speaking on diplomacy
Rohit Vadhwana has opened the session appreciating the timeliness of the webinar themed on Bouncing Back. Highlighting the GDP growth projections of India by RBI, OECD, Bloomberg and World Bank and the export targets set by the Prime Minister, he explained how economic representatives in different parts of the world are striving to achieve those targets. Economic progress is measured not only by the exports, he added, but also by the confidence of the world industry and investors, citing this year’s highest inflow of FDIs demonstrating the fact.
He also cited the strategy implemented in the textile industry, of producing masks during the pandemic, and the feat of administering vaccines to more than 100 crore people within a record span of time. He explained how promising the economic landscape and the growth trajectory is, citing the strengthening of the UK-India bond in terms of agreements, partnerships and roadmap 2030.
Prof. Jyotsna Tiwari speaking on education
General Chauhan spoke on the importance of North-East India and its conduciveness to international trade as it shares borders with Myanmar, Nepal, China, Bhutan and Bangladesh. While it is extremely rich in biodiversity and natural resources, he said, there are still challenges to be overcome, in terms of cross border migration, ethnic conflicts, armed insurgency, demands and movements. He mentioned the efforts and policies of the central government to realign the region with the mainstream economic goals of the country.
He reiterated that its strategic location connecting the country with the robust South-East Asian market and the presence of important market catalysts such as social capital, human resources, natural resources, diversity and cultural richness are the strengths, however, the problem of unrest, illegal activities, narcotics trade etc. have been limiting its development, he added. He has also reiterated that having good relations with the bordering countries is significant to enhance the development.
Patrick Holden speaking on the impact on arts sector
Speaking on the occasion, Professor Jyotsna Tiwari has emphasised that the call of the day is a holistic and robust education system and that education has a greater role to play in the progress and development of the country. She explained that holistic education, grounded in the knowledge system and rooted in the culture, tradition, philosophy and value system would lead the young generation towards the Sustainable Development Goals 2030.
Local to national to global education prepares the children for future challenges and improves the quality of life. Atmanirbharta- the self-sufficiency and socio-emotional development of the young through the power of rootedness in the knowledge of culture and heritage can be a gamechanger, she added.
Ketan Trivedi speaking on the role of media
Patrick Holden has given a picture of how the arts industry has faced setbacks due to pandemic and how artists and arts organisations have adapted themselves. Arts sector is the third hardest hit due to coronavirus in the UK, which employed 2 million people before the pandemic struck. Art and Culture gave £10 billion to the economy and was the fastest growing sector at the time. 15000 live performances were then cancelled, and 100 000 jobs were lost soon after the pandemic started and by the end of 2020, art revenues dropped by 49%.
Lt Gen Chauhan at Q and A with Cllr Sharad Kumar Jha
He spoke about the clear changes in art productions and consumption, the huge move to the online experience and greater use of technology, resulting in variable levels of quality. He also spoke about digital fatigue due to continued online consumption and hoped place-based experiences and collaborations to enable revenue generation.
Senior Journalist Ketan Trivedi spoke on the role of media in bringing out positive stories. He elaborated what nation means, how nation-building includes the participation of civil society, and how media should raise the issues, be the voice of the people and be the catalyst of good for the society. He cited the example of how recent Padma awardees drew attention from throughout the country due to their humble backgrounds and their service highlighted by media. He provided different other examples of how media worked alongside the people positively.
Prof Jyotsna at Q and A with Shrawan Kumar Jha
All the speakers have answered questions by the attendees, such as Cllr. Sharad Kumar Jha, Gyan Sharma, Shrawan Kumar Jha, Dr Erika Haag and Manju Sunil. Vote of Thanks was rendered by the Founder of Sanskruti Centre, Ragasudha Vinjamuri.
