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National Symposium on Sankaradeva in New Delhi

The Foundation in pursuance of its objective of prounating the contributions of Srimanta Sankardeva, organized a National Symposium on Sankardeva in New Delhi on Nov 3, 2003 at the Little Theatre Group Auditorium, Co-operations Marg, New Delhi . The Symposium , organised in collaboration with the Assam Association, New Delhi, was a milestone in the promotional venture of the abiding values of the Sankardeva movement. While inaugurating the symposium at an austere and impressive ceremony , Dr. (Smt) Kapila Vatsyayur, celebrated scholar and an exponant of Indian art, and a Srimanta Sankardeva Awardee, hailed the great saint Sankardeva as a great pilgrim in all senses who went on churning out the great spirit of Indian religion and culture Dr. Vatsyayan , while emphasizing on the importance of showcasing the contributions of the great visionary for the outside world outlined the need of utmost care to by taken in presenting the true spirit of the traditions. Dr. R.D. Choudhury , Director General , National Museum and Vice - Chancellor , National Museum and Institution, New Delhi, while presiding over the Inaugural session stressed on the preservation of the Sattra institution from the challenges of today.

Earlier the Inaugural Ceremony started with a beautiful rendition of a Bargit being a compositions and Shri Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, Managing Trustee, the Foundation welcomed the august gathering .The symposium had two Academic Sessions in the morning and in the afternoon with Dr. S.K. Agnihotri, Secretary, National Foundation for Communal Harmony and Dr. Birendranath Dutta , eminent scholar and President Asom Sahitya Sabha in the chair. In the morning academic session Dr. Birendranath Dutta dwelt on Sankardevas vision of Art both Visual and performing while Shri Ranjit Kr. Dev Goswami, distinguished scholar and formerly Heads of the Dept. of English , Guwahati University spoken on Sankardeva as a poet. In his remarks from the Chair. Dr. Agnihotri described Sankardeva as a hare visionary figure and a master craftsman in the art of mass communication way back in the 15th -16th centuries.

In the second Academic session Smt. Arshiya Sethe, a noted cultural activist and Creative Head , Culture and entertainment, India habitat Centre, New Delhi drew a comparative outline between Guru Nayak and Srimanta Sankardeva as religious and social preachers . In another discourse, Padmashiri Dr. Sunil Kothari, noted dance-historian and scholar dwelt on his perceptions on the evolution of the Sattriya dance as a Major classical Dance Tradition of India. Padma Vibhusan Smt. Sonal Mansingh , a luminary in the world of Indian classical Dance, also graced the second session and hailed the great contributions of Sankardeva to Indian culture .An evening of Sattriya Dance by a group of distinguished artists followed the academic session. Inaugurating the Dance recital , Dr. (Smt) Mamoni Raisom Goswami, Juanpith Awardee litterateur , complimented the efforts of the Srimanta Foundation in bringing the contributions of the Sankardeva movement to the National level . She also described the Sattriya Dance and Music together as one of the most beautiful traditions of India. The programme cousisted of distinctive numbers from the wide reparation of Sattriya Dance tradition.

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