11th Bal Sangam begins in the Capital amidst much fanfare / Manohar Khushalani

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National School of Drama today inaugurated its, evergreen, much-awaited 11th Bal Sangam – a folk & traditional performing Arts & folk Theatre festival, at the lush green lawns of the campus amid much fanfare. Watch the film made on the occasion by my Digital Media students at IIITD: Sahil Yadav, Aseem Saini & Dilnawaz Ashraf

https://youtu.be/BtmyaJwBD2I

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The opening ceremony of Bal Sangam witnessed the gracious presence of Renowned Theatre Actor & Director, Prof. Ram Gopal Bajaj, Prof. Suresh Sharma, Director-in-Charge, NSD, Abdul Latif Khatana, Chief, TIE Co., and Prof. (Dr.) Abhilash Pillai, Dean-Academic.

 

The opening ceremony was followed by Rangoli – a stage performance by Folk & Traditional child artistes of India, choreographed by renowned choreographer Shri Bharat Sharma, who has an illustrious career spanning over three decades.

Renowned Theatre Actor & Director, Prof. Ram Gopal Bajaj said, “Without relation and communication there is no world. Festival like Bal Sangam help building relationship among the children of different culture. Strong relationship and bonding lead to form a strong nation.”

Prof. Suresh SharmaDirector-in-ChargeNational School of Drama said, “I’d like to thank everyone who managed to take out their valuable time to come here and give their blessing to the participating kids. I welcome all the participants and audience to this festival. We are proud that the TIE Company has been working hard to make children know about their own culture, traditions, and values. NSD will continue taking such initiatives in the future as well.”

Mr. Abdul Latif Khatana, Chief, Theatre-in-Education said, “Theatre-in-Education has been continuously trying to reach and touch the lives of children across the country in last three decades. Apart from folk & traditional performing arts and folk theatre, we conduct interactive workshops among participant children from different parts of the country.  The experience and exposure they get at such a young age, will definitely inspire them to do something in the field of folk and traditional performing arts and folk theatre in the future.”

Prof. (Dr.) Abhilash Pillai, Dean-Academic, extended the vote of thanks to chief guest, children and the audience for taking out their time and being a part of Bal Sangam.

Bal Sangam provides the platform for young talent who have never got chance to show their talent and whose performances have never been witnessed at national level. Long Man, Rajasthani Puppet, Behroopiya, and Magician etc. are the special attraction of the festival. Various types of art and craft workshops are also being conducted during the festival.

This year around 15 productions from 12 states are participating in the festival. Bhavesh Chau Nritye Kala Kendra Jharkhand will perform Kharsama Chaun Sholi, likewise Manipuri Folk by Thang-Ta Cultural Association Manipur, Rajasthani Lok Kala by Manganiar Group Rajasthan Rajasthan, Gotipua Dance by Aradhana Dance Academy Odisha, Bodo Folk by Sifung Harium Afad Assam, Oggudolu by Kunta Sadaiah Oggudolu Group Telangana, Kalarippayat by Hindustan Kalari Sangam Kerala, Punjabi Folk by Punjabi Folk Art Centre Punjab, Malvi Lok Nritye by Pratikalpa Sanskrit Sansthan Madhya Pradesh, Gujarati Folk Dance by Kalrav Sewa Trust Gujarat, Pasumukha (Animal Mask Dance), Kandhei Nata (Puppet Dance) Kothishala by Bichitra Barnali Natya Sansada Odisha, Tiwa by Tiwa Bhakha – Sanskriti Charcha Somittee Assam and Folk & Traditional Theatre performances will be Ram Vijay by Manjula Kalakendra Assam, “Gosian Pather” by National Bhand Theatre J & K, and Yakshagana Dance Drama by Yakshagana Kendra Karnataka.

 The Bal Sangam festival is an ensemble of various performing traditional art forms presented by children, with the objective of encouraging children to continue traditional performances so as to preserve our cultural heritage in this rapidly changing world. The fanfare and hub of Bal Sangam 2019 start from 9th November and goes on till 12th November 2019 at the New Delhi Campus of NSD at Bhagwandas Road. Timing- 4:00PM to 8:00PM. Entry to the event is free.

Manohar Khushalani

Manohar Khushalani

Prof. Manohar Khushalani is a former Visiting Faculty at Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi. The courses he taught were: Animation & Graphics, Non-Linear Editing for Film and Radio and Theatre Appreciation.  He has won a total of nine Excellence in Teaching awards for all the courses he has taught at IIITD Earlier he retired from Government of India as Director Environment Management, Central Water Commission and held many senior positions in the Government Based on a Belief that Culture and Environment are the two keys to global sustainability , Manohar Khushalani has launched two portals: A Portal on Environment and Water called One Vorld at url: www.onevorld.org and two Ezines on Culture called Stage Buzz at url: www.stagebuzz.in He has taught extensively in varied subjects such as Dam Safety, Instrumentation, CAD, IT, Animation, Theatre, Newspaper Editing. He has conducted Courses on Environment Management, Water Shed Development, Team Building and Personality Development. He was an Expert Member of Prasar Bharti’s Committee for Grading & Short listing Films for Telecast on all channels of Doordarshan.  He is a Radio Anchor for All India Radio and has moderated several programs for the Rajdhani Channel He is a well-known Theatre Actor/Director and Critic, has been involved in theatre since 1977. He has worked as an actor in over 50 plays with almost every leading director/Actor in the Country including Badal Sircar, Feisal Alkazi, Amal Allana, M.K. Raina, Anuradha Kapoor, Maya Rao, Manohar Singh, Prasanna, Rati Bartholomew and Sushmita Mukherji. He has been active in the social sector as a street theatre activist. As a member of Workshop Theatre, Theatre Union and Prayog, Khushalani has participated in street plays taking up major social issues such as dowry, bride burning, Sati, banned medicinal drugs and communalism. Dario Fo’s Accidental Death of an Anarchist and Can’t Pay Won’t Pay, both directed by him, received rave notices from critics and audiences alike. Other plays directed by him include Badal Sircar’s, Sagina Mahato and Boris Vian’s Empire Builders for Ruchika Theatre Group. Khushalani has also acted in a few films such as Sudhir Mishra's Hazaron Khwaishen Aisi , Shoojit Sircar’s Madras Café and Pradeep Krishan's Annie Gives Those Ones. He is an Animator & Graphics Designer and has directed a number of documentaries. He also held a number of Honorary positions and was President of North India Films Association, He was the Chairman of  Jury for UGC CEC Educational Films Competition and has been on their Preview Committee since last many years. He was on the preview committee of Door Darshan Channel 3, was a visiting Professor at National School of Drama, New Delhi, and Film & Television Institute of India, Pune, AJKMCRR, Jamia Milia Islamia and Professor in Media at FICT, Delhi  He has judged a large number of Drama Competitions and conducted a number of Theatre / Management Games Workshops with Institutions such as AIIMS, NTPC, CWPRS, NWA, Karve Nari Prakshishan Sansthan, FICT, IIT, MAMC, Gargi College, KNC, Tagore International School and Vivekananda School. He is a Theatre Critic for IIC Diary, has also been a Columnist with Midday and Pioneer Daily and wrote Column's Called Culture Cocktail and Footlights Respectively. He was also the Guest Editor for an issue on Folk Theatre of ICCR Journal Horizons. He has written for Times of Indian, Hindustan Times, Blitz, Hard News, Hindu Business Line, Theatre India & Art Times. He has designed dams and hydraulic structures for the Government. He is a programmer and has developed Engineering design software in Fortran. He is a co-author of Irrigation Practice & Design (Vol 1 to5 - 1500 pages) published by Oxford & IBH and sponsored by National Book Trust. He has been a Director, Environment and Sociology, at the National Water Academy, Khadakwasla and Director, Environment Management Directorate, Central Water Commission and Member Secretary, National Environmental Monitoring Committee for River Valley Projects. He was also Director of Instrumentation Directorate in the Dam Safety Organisation. He was Chief General Manager and Head of Water Resources at Scott Wilson and is an accredited consultant with numerous other organizations He is a Delhi Public School, BITS Pilani, IIT Delhi and FTI Pune Alumini. He was also the President of BITS Pilani Alumni Association, Pune.

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