LALIT ARPAN FESTIVAL 2014

On Sep 19, 2014

For over 12 years, Asavari School of Dance has been holding the annual Lalit Arpan Festival, a festival that had been started by late Ustad Shafaat Ahmed Khan (tabla maestro) and Padmashri Guru Shovana Narayan, featuring the torchbearers of the classical music and dance traditions.

The Lalit Arpan Festival 2014 sponsored by LNG Petronet, NTPC, GAIL, Oriental Insurance Company Ltd and Rural Electrification Corporation unfolded on 17th September 2014 at Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre in the presence of Shri LK Advani (Former Dy. Prime minister of India) with performances by renowned artists, Shounak Abhisheki (Hindustani vocal) and Grammy award winner Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (Mohan Veena). The show also featured “Surya Naman” a repertory by Asavari School of Dance.

The second day of the festival witnessed the performances of renowned artists, Vidushi Manju Mehta (well-known sitar artist) and Vidushi Jayantimala & Rishika Mishra (Kathak) in the presence of Ms. Meira Kumar (Former Speaker, Lok Sabha). The show also featured a repertory by the Asavari School of Dance – “Shringara”

Since last year the Lalit Arpan Samman has been constituted as a humble gesture to pay respects to legends in the field of arts.

The Lalit Arpan Samman awardees on the two days were:

· Satish Gujral (Padma Vibhushan & an icon in the field of art),

· Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (Grammy award winner and maestro of the Mohan Veena),

· Vidushi Shobha Koser (preserver and propagator of classical arts in Punjab),

· Shri RK Dhingra (SNA awardee and a pioneer in the field of light design).

· Pt Laxman Krishnarao Pandit ( eminent Hindustani Vocalist of the Gwalior Gharana),

· Sushma Seth (theatre and film actress),

· Shri Niren Sengupta (senior artist & art educator)

· Shri Harish Narula (social philanthropist, Founder President, Bharat Shakti Cultural, Educational & Spiritual Society).

Present at the festival to support Shovana ji and the artists were H.E. Mr. Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, MP, Hon’ble Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, H.E. Mr. Tariq A. Karim, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India, Pratibha Advani, Dr. (Ms) Jyotsna Suri, Bharatnatyam Exponent Sonal Mansigh, Neelam Pratap Rudy, artist Shruti Gupt Chandra and Ranjana Narayan.