Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat with cultural icons and Sundeep Bhutoria at an Ek Mulakat session in Kolkata celebrating Prabha Khaitan’s legacy
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], October 3: In a city that wears its culture like a second skin, a packed gathering of Bengal’s finest artists, writers and thinkers came together for an evening of warm, candid conversation — and a powerful tribute to a woman who turned social consciousness into a movement.
Addressing a session of Ek Mulakat in Kolkata, Union Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, lauded the enduring contribution of Late Prabha Khaitan in awakening social awareness, and praised the multifarious socio-cultural work of the Prabha Khaitan Foundation — calling it “an important name” among organisations that quietly do what governments cannot.
Among those who attended the session were Padma Shri awardee dancer Mamata Shankar, Baul maestro Pt. Purna Das Baul and classical musician Tejendra Narayan Majumdar, along with Padma Bhushan awardee singer Usha Uthup and Sundeep Bhutoria, Trustee, Prabha Khaitan Foundation — a guest list that read like a who’s who of Bengal’s cultural soul. Art, literature, cinema, music, theatre and social service were all represented in a room rich with distinguished personalities, including representatives of foreign consuls.
“Prabha ji laid the basis of the Foundation with the aim of awakening social consciousness, and through continuous, meaningful and active efforts it is playing a vital role in preserving and protecting India’s cultural identity and heritage. The contribution of the Prabha Khaitan Foundation towards giving new dimensions to the diverse forms of culture and art in the nation’s development is also remarkable,” Mr Shekhawat said.
He said that the institution founded by Prabha Khaitan ji with the aim of awakening social consciousness is today doing commendable work in continuously nurturing India’s cultural and literary heritage. Alongside the preservation of literature, art, music, folk art and artists, the Foundation is also consistently active in various areas of social concern.
Shekhawat said that the diverse forms of art make human beings sensitive. People associated with the cultural world have played an important role in the way India is moving forward on the path of development today. Art, culture and creative expression have not only made society more sensitive, but have also contributed significantly to establishing India’s identity on the world stage.
He said that India’s rich cultural tradition has played a central role in making India what it is. Today, as India moves towards an important role in the world, the responsibility of those associated with the cultural world becomes even more significant.
He said that global leadership is possible not only on the basis of economic, political, technological or strategic power, but also on a cultural basis. India’s diversity, its traditions, art, music, literature and folk cultures are its great strengths.
Citing the example of the Louvre Museum in France, he said that it is one of the most famous museums in the world. In the same way, India too is moving towards presenting its civilizational journey of thousands of years to the world through the ‘Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum’ in New Delhi. The museum will showcase India’s civilizational journey of more than ten thousand years. It will not merely be a collection of artefacts, but an effort to present the continuous journey of India’s culture, traditions, knowledge, art and worldview.
Shekhawat said that yoga has always been part of India’s tradition, but when India’s Prime Minister spoke about yoga on the world stage and the international community embraced it, yoga gained a new identity globally. Today the world is listening to India’s voice and accepting it. India’s cultural richness and strength are being recognised at the global level.
He said that today Sanskrit is being taught in more than 60 universities abroad, and the Vedas in 46 universities. This points to India’s knowledge tradition, which has continued uninterrupted for centuries.
He also expressed concern over the changes taking place in the family and in the guru–shishya (teacher–disciple) tradition. He said that the institution of the family is declining today and respect for elders has also diminished. Mobile phones and YouTube have taken the place of the guru, which has also affected the sense of reverence towards the teacher.
He said that the cultural treasure we possess today has reached us through an unbroken tradition passed from guru to guru. Today the eyes of the world are on India. In such a situation, if we are to return to our roots and save our families and society from breaking apart, it is possible only through our culture.
Shekhawat said that in olden times, kings and maharajas provided patronage to artists so that they could devote their time to art with complete dedication. Without such patronage, most of an artist’s time would have been spent meeting the needs of daily life.
He said that the circumstances after Independence were different. At that time, the country faced more basic needs, and the government’s priorities were set accordingly. But times have now changed. India’s image on the world stage has grown stronger, and there is now a need for large-scale work for the development of the cultural sector.
He said that the government can develop cultural infrastructure, but to make it vibrant and effective, the participation of artists and artisans—small and big, new and senior—will be essential. Only the collective participation of all can make India truly India, because India’s real strength lies in its diversity, art, culture and rich cultural heritage. It is the responsibility of all of us to safeguard this heritage and pass it on to future generations.
Prabha Khaitan Foundation’s Managing Trustee, Mr Sundeep Bhutoria, said that the Foundation is continuously working for the preservation and promotion of literature, art, folk art and folk languages, as well as of artists. He said that through today’s programme, the artists of Bengal got an opportunity for an intimate dialogue with Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and they warmly shared their thoughts and experiences together. They all also expressed their faith in and commitment to the cultural development of the country.
Ms Esha Dutta of Ehsaas Women delivered the welcome address at the programme. Ms Shefali Rawat Agarwal gave a brief overview of the work of the Prabha Khaitan Foundation. On this special occasion, Odissi dancer and Ehsaas Woman Ms Dona Ganguly and the Foundation’s Executive Trustee Ms Anindita Chatterjee presented the Union Minister with an uttariya (ceremonial stole) and a memento. Ms Esha Dutta proposed the vote of thanks at the end of the programme.
Those present at the Ek Mulakat programme included A D Choudhury, Honorary Advisor for Art and Literature of the Prabha Khaitan Foundation; renowned dancer Alokananda Roy; singer and composer Anupam Roy; National Award-winning film directors Arindam Sil and Kaushik Ganguly; Ashok Jaiswal, President, and Rajesh Bihani, Vice-President, of the Manicktala Chaltabagan Durga Puja Committee; Odissi dancer Avirup Sengupta; National Award-winning percussionist Bickram Ghosh; journalist Chandrima Pal; Baul artist Dibyendu Das Baul; dancer Dona Ganguly; social worker, film distributor and the Prabha Khaitan Foundation’s Kolkata Ehsaas Woman Esha Dutta; singer Imon Chakraborty; film journalist Indranil Roy; actor and Member of Parliament June Maliah; actor and former Member of Parliament Locket Chatterjee; Kantha art expert and Ehsaas Woman Mallika Verma; Padma Shri awardee dancer Mamata Shankar; Manipuri dance expert Preeti Patel; Padma Shri awardee Baul artist Pt. Purna Das Baul; Samidha Redkar, Deputy Public Affairs Officer and Deputy Director, American Center, US Consulate General Kolkata; Sayan Bhattacharya, Director, Indian Museum; jewellery designer and Ehsaas Woman Shefali Rawat Agarwal; renowned artist Shipra Bhattacharya; theatre personality Soumitra Mitra; composer Soumyojit; composer Sourendro; renowned painter-artist Suvaprasanna Bhattacarjee; Padma Shri awardee classical musician Tejendra Narayan Majumdar; and Padma Bhushan awardee singer Usha Uthup — besides many other dignitaries, including Puneet Chhatwal, CEO of Taj Hotels, and Gaurav Suneja, General Manager, ITC.
The participation of these eminent personalities from diverse fields made ‘Ek Mulakat’ a rich platform for art, culture, literature and dialogue.
ABOUT EK MULAKAT
Ek Mulakat is an initiative of the Prabha Khaitan Foundation that brings eminent personalities together with people from the worlds of art, culture, literature and public life for close, informal conversations. Unlike a formal lecture or seminar, each session is designed as an intimate meeting, a “mulakat”, where guests and participants share ideas, experiences and perspectives in a relaxed setting. Through Ek Mulakat, the Foundation aims to encourage meaningful dialogue on India’s cultural heritage, creative expression and social concerns. It also gives artists, writers and cultural practitioners a platform to engage directly with leaders and thinkers.
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