7th India-International Folk Festival is being organised by ICCR across India

Partha Roy, Kolkata: ICCR Zonal Office East hosted 7th India- International Folk Festival from 24th to 26th November 2023 in Kolkata. Folk artists from four nations participated in the festival. On Inaugural day i.e. 24th November “Bong Sen Ethnic Music and Dance Theatre” group of Ho-Chi-Minh City, Vietnam gave mesmerising performance. Kolkata has historic connection with people of Vietnam for decades as citizens of Kolkata publicly extended support to people of Vietnam during their freedom movement. The Inaugural day performance was attended by Smt. Anju Ranjan (IFS) Deputy Director General of ICCR looking after Cultural Performances.

Speaking to Partha Roy Senior Journalist , Smt. Anju Ranjan mentioned fourteen troupes are participating this time in 7th India-International Folk Festival across the country. She said out of which four troupes performed in ICCR Kolkata representing four geographical regions namely Asia (Vietnam), Europe (Russia), Africa (Ethopia), North America (Cuba).

Smt. Anju Ranjan also said 7th India -International Folk Festival is being organised in Bengaluru, Lucknow, Patna ,Tamil Nadu & a few other places. She said every time best performing troupe from new countries are given opportunity to perform in India. ICCR has 7 Zonal Offices. Each Zonal Office is given opportunity to host the Festival based on availablity of logistical & other support system those are needed to host the Festival.

Smt. Anju Ranjan mentioned Invitation were sent to a large no.of nations to send their proposal for participation in the India- International Folk Festival to showcase best performing artists and art to people of India from the invited nation. She said selection of the troupes were done by a evaluation Committee in a fair manner after taking into consideration various aspects of India’s broader foreign policy frameworks.

On 25th November, Governor of West Bengal, Dr. C. V. Ananda Bose inaugurated 2nd day’s program by State honored Folk Dance Ensemble “Severney Zhori” from Russia. The troupe presented medley of folk dances composition as well as folk songs from Russia. While addressing the august gathering, Governor of West Bengal Dr. C. V. Ananda Bose mentioned dance & music are symbol of growth of human civilization from pre-historic time and universal in nature as well as connect and facililate to build people to people relationship.

On 26th November, folk artists from Africa and North America namely “Mulualem Cultural Centre” from Ethiopia (Africa) and “Conjunto Folklórico Nacional” dance ensemble from Cuba (North America) enthralled the audience. Ms. Tanni Choudhary popular kathak dancer of India anchored presention of Ethopia & Cuba. All the performances had universal appeal and received standing ovation from the audience. One of high point of the Festival was effort of the performing artists from Ethopia and Cuba to engage & interact with audience and involve audience to dance together with the performing artists.

The Festival attended by foreign Diplomats based in the city, civil servents, industrialists, celebrities, folk artists from Bengal, dance & music and Culture aficionados, International students in the city & in West Bengal. 7th India International Folk Festival enriched the cultural scape of Kolkata in a way which will be remembered by citizenry of Kolkata over a period of time.