India’s culture, art integral to its soft power: FS Shringla

STATE TIMES NEWS

NEW DELHI: India’s culture and art are integral to its soft power and artists dedicated to Indian art forms are not merely performers but brand ambassadors who have been taking the country’s rich cultural heritage to the global audience, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said.
Speaking at the ‘Global Heritage Series’ organised by SPIC MACAY, he said there are many areas of convergence and collaboration between SPIC MACAY and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations to try and bridge the gap between the classical and the popular.
“Tradition must coexist with modernity. I am aware that systems alone cannot foster creativity. Even so, our constant endeavour must be to act as enablers of the youth — many of whom have tuned in today,” he said on Saturday.
Indian culture and art are integral to India’s soft power, Shringla said. “Artists dedicated to Indian art forms are not merely performers but brand ambassadors who have been taking our rich cultural heritage to the global audience,” he said. “At a personal level, I recall as a student in Delhi University the privilege of getting access to our best classical artists free of cost in open air concerts of SPIC MACAY. It has been both a privilege and pleasure to have hosted some of our most distinguished artists in various diplomatic missions where I have served,” Shringla said. He also reaffirmed the support of the Ministry of External Affairs and Indian missions abroad to SPIC MACAY’s efforts to showcase India’s classical art forms globally.
“As we start to recover from the grasp of COVID-19, we look back to find that in times of crises people need nurturing of the soul,” Shringla said.
“We are reminded of the important role of art in giving people hope. The disruption caused by the pandemic has driven many of us to reimagine art, and art forms. Taking art online has become a necessity,” he said.