PARIS — India's cultural delegation received the Best Cultural Delegation Award at the UNESCO World Heritage Festival in Paris on Sunday, the country's highest ever honour at the prestigious biennial event attended by 68 nations.
The 32-member troupe, assembled by the Sangeet Natak Akademi and curated by choreographer Leela Samson, presented a 40-minute performance titled 'Sangam of Rivers' — a choreographic dialogue between Bharatanatyam from Tamil Nadu, Kathak from Uttar Pradesh, and Manipuri dance from the Northeast — unified by a live musical composition performed on the sitar, tabla, and Manipuri pung drum.
International Recognition
The UNESCO jury, in its citation, noted that India's entry "demonstrated how ancient classical traditions, when brought into living conversation with each other, create something transcendent that speaks to all of humanity." The jury praised India's ability to present diversity as a source of creative strength rather than fragmentation.
Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat congratulated the performers, saying the award was recognition not just of India's artistic heritage but of its commitment to "nurturing the world's oldest unbroken cultural traditions in a modern democratic society."