By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI: The vibrant representatives of the rich art, culture, and heritage of Ganjam district—over 90 folk artists—today visited the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi and met with the Honorable President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, to exchange thoughts and feelings.
Under the leadership of Ganjam District Collector Shri V. Kirti Vvasan, artists from five prominent cultural troupes of the district had toured Delhi. Upon arriving at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the artists were accorded a grand welcome. Recently, during the Honorable President’s visit to Ganjam district, the tribal and folk dance troupes of Ganjam had presented captivating dances and music at a cultural program organized by the district administration in Taptapani. Overwhelmed by this traditional art performance, Her Excellency the President had invited the artists to visit Rashtrapati Bhavan.
At the invitation of the Honorable President, over 90 artists from the Ma Dandakali Group of Sanakhemundi Block, Subarnagada; the Sanrachana Group of Brahmapur; the Tulasi Group of Sorada Block; the Gouranga Basudeb Named Sankirtan Mandal of Katapalli in Sanakhemundi Block; and the Saura Traditional Cultural Drama Sangha of Khemundikhol toured Delhi. During the exchange of thoughts and feelings with the artists, the Honorable President inquired about their joys and sorrows and stated that it is the responsibility of all of us to continuously preserve, practice, and promote the invaluable art and cultural traditions received from our ancestors.
She advised the young artists to focus on their studies while striving for excellence in the fields they are working in. She also counseled them to stand on their own feet, become self-reliant, and enhance the prestige of their parents and family members. Her Excellency the President also praised the rich cultural traditions of Ganjam’s Saura tribe.
This day has been an unforgettable experience for the artists. Having had the opportunity to visit Rashtrapati Bhavan, engage in an exchange of thoughts and feelings with the President for over half an hour, and visit various historical and tourist sites in New Delhi, the artists expressed their gratitude to the district administration. Shri Jagnnath Nayak of the Saura Traditional Cultural Drama Sangha described this experience as a memorable chapter in life. Along with this representative group, Additional District Magistrate of Chatrapur Shri Parth Sarathi Hasda, District Culture Officer Smt. Aditi Acharya, Shri Manoj Kumar Pradhan, and other officials from the district administration had also toured Delhi.
