Lok Sabha Question No. 655 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-02-06
Subject: Festival of India
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: T. RADHAKRISHNAN, SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD, VIJAY KUMAR S.R., BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO, KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 655 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2017

## FESTIVAL OF INDIA

655. SHRI T.RADHAKRISHNAN: DR.SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD: SHRI S.R.VIJAYAKUMAR: SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO: KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH: SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the festival of India is being organised by the Government in Ghana from January 25 to March 16, 2017;
- (b) if so, the details of the funds allocated along with the expenditure likely to be incurred during the said festival;
- (c) the activities organised along with the artists and artisans who  have participated/are participating in the festival;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to organize such type of festivals in other countries in near future; and
- (e) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the Government to promote Indian Culture in the world?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR CULTURE & TOURISM (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a)  &  (b)  A  Festival  of  India  is  being  organised  in  Ghana  from  January  25  to March 16, 2017 with the likely expenditure of Rs.1,16,77,280/- .

(c)   The activities planned during the Festival in Ghana are: (i) Amalgamation of Indian  classical  dances;  (ii)  Music  (Sufi/Folk); &  (iii)  Saptarang  -  confluence  of seven  classical  dance  forms. In  addition,  the  other  events  to  be  held  in  the Festival of India in Ghana are; (i) Food Festival, (ii) Film Festival; and (iii) Yoga & Meditation Lecture-cum-Demonstration by Indian Embassy in Ghana.

The  detail  of  the  artists  and  artisan  participating  in  the  Festival  of  India, Ghana is given in the attached Annexure.

(d) & (e) Festival of India is an ongoing scheme of the Ministry of Culture under which Festivals of India are held in foreign countries.   As the part of the Festival, Ministry of Culture organises cultural events in different genres  such  as Exhibitions, Theatre and Literary events. Decision regarding the countries where Festivals  of  India  maybe  held  is  taken  based  on  a  number  of  factors  including proposals  received  from  Indian  Missions  abroad,  announcements  made  during the  VVIP  visits,  significant  milestones  in  relation  with  the  foreign  nations, etc. This is an on-going process.

## Detail of the artists participating in the Festival of India, Ghana

## (I) Dance Group (Inaugural Function)-Amalgamation of Indian Classical Dances by Lok Chhanda Cultural Unit

| (i)    | Ms Maitreyee Pahari           | - Leader   |
|--------|-------------------------------|------------|
| (ii)   | Nibedita Mohapatra            | - Artist   |
| (iii)  | Shailja Nalwade               | - Artist   |
| (iv)   | Ritushree Choudhury           | - Artist   |
| (v)    | Shilpa Verna                  | - Artist   |
| (vi)   | Shweta Devendra               | - Artist   |
| (vii)  | Kuleshwar Thakur              | - Artist   |
| (viii) | Nikhil Lal                    | - Artist   |
| (ix)   | Nand Kumar                    | - Artist   |
| (x)    | Sandeep Nag                   | - Artist   |
| (xi)   | Shubhamani Singh Mayanglambam | - Artist   |
| (xii)  | Victoria Devi Kouthoujan      | - Artist   |
| (xiii) | Sangita Devi Sorokhaibam      | - Artist   |
| (xiv)  | Anoop Joshi                   | - Artist   |
| (xv)   | Rajesh Saibabu                | - Artist   |

- (II) Music Group - Sufi/Folk by Dr Mamta Rani alias Dr Mamta Joshi

| (i)    | Mamta Rani Alias Dr Mamta Joshi - Group   | Leader   |
|--------|-------------------------------------------|----------|
| (ii)   | Chetan Mohan alias Chetan Mohan Joshi     | - Artist |
| (iii)  | Deepak Kumar                              | - Artist |
| (iv)   | Gurmeet Singh                             | - Artist |
| (v)    | Gurvinder Singh                           | -Artist  |
| (vi)   | Roshan lal                                | - Artis  |
| (vii)  | Gurinder Singh                            | - Artist |
| (viii) | Jaswant Singh                             | - Artis  |
| (ix)   | Surinder Singh                            | - Artist |

## (III)       Saptarang Classical Dance

| (i)    | Shubhada Mahohar Vardkar        | - Leader          |
|--------|---------------------------------|-------------------|
| (ii)   | Latasana Devi                   | - Aritst          |
| (iii)  | Renjish Nair                    | - Artist          |
| (iv)   | Shreya Sabharwal                | - Artist          |
| (v)    | Sanskriti Uday Bhanu Chatterjee | - Artist          |
| (vi)   | Pranali Vijaykumar Jambhale     | - Artist          |
| (vii)  | Sujatha Nair                    | - Artist          |
| (viii) | Neeru Sabharwal                 | -Coordinator      |
| (ix)   | Ajay Sambhaji Kasurde           | - Light and sound |

- (IV)    Food Festival
- (i)   Shri Sundeep Katyal,  Chef, Hotel Janpath
- (ii)  Shri Narinder Kumar, Cook, The Ashok Hotel