Hamsadhwanis NRI Festival of Music and Dance inaugurated

The role of parents and teachers in nurturing talent among non-resident Indians and propagating Carnatic music is commendable, said Vaishnavi Vasudevan, Consul (Political), Consulate-General of the Republic of Singapore in Chennai.

She inaugurated Hamsadhwani’s 30th NRI Festival of Music and Dance and 36th Annual Festival of Music, Drama, and Dance at the Youth Hostel in Indira Nagar on Thursday.

Citing her personal experience, she said it was a colossal task to strike a balance between academics and fine arts. Such promising talent among young artistes must be encouraged.

K.V.S. Gopalakrishnan, former IPS officer and president, P.S. Educational Society, elaborated on how Indian music influenced global genres through cross-cultural collaborations. Many renowned musicians sowed the seeds of Indian culture and music through their performances abroad.

Hamsadhwani secretary R. Sundar said this year’s NRI festival featured 75 artistes, of whom about 60 were from the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, the UAE, Malaysia, and Singapore. It would showcase 26 programmes on 13 evenings, including Hamsadhwani founder R. Ramachandran’s birthday remembrance on January 1, 2026.

The fest would also host special programmes.

The annual festival will feature about 30 events, including dramas and concerts, on weekends between January 18, 2026, and April 14, 2026.

Hamsadhwani’s vice-president P.R.K.B. Srinivasan Deviah also participated.

The inaugural event was followed by a dance performance by Kuchipudi exponent Sailaja and students of Sailasudha Arts Academy.