Music, poetry & drama mark 59th Foundation Day at IIAS

The Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS), Shimla, celebrated its 59th Foundation Day with a grand event held at the institute’s Pool Theatre.

The programme featured various cultural and literary presentations, and musician Som Datt Battu, a Padma Shri awardee, was the chief guest at the event.

The day’s celebrations commenced with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp, followed by a virtual welcome address by the Director Raghavendra P Tiwari.

Battu was recognised for his contributions, and shared his thoughts on music and culture during his speech.

Other speakers at the event included institute Vice-President Shailendra Raj Mehta and Chairperson Shashi Prabha Kumar, who discussed the institute’s contributions and the significance of Foundation Day in their virtual addresses.

The programme featured a Saraswati Vandana presented by Kritika Sharma, followed by a dance performance by Trisha Paul and a poetry recitation by Aadhya Dixit. Nibedita Banerjee, a fellow of the institute, sang a Bengali song, while Uma Maheshwari Ananthani showcased Agniputri Panchali, a theatrical performance.

The audience was captivated by a sitar performance by Sudhir Mathur, accompanied by mouth organ music from librarian Prem Chand.

Tek Chand Kaul and his team showcased a musical presentation. The ceremony ended with a vote of thanks from Secretary Mehr Chand Negi, followed by the National Anthem.