Ambassador H.E Ashok K. Kantha along with Ms.Zhong Yanqun, Vice Chair of The Standing Committee of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Congress jointly inaugurated the India Culture Week"India in Shanghai" at the majestic Shanghai Grand Theatre today. The inauguration was attended by leading government officials from Shanghai and neighbouring cities, leading personalities from the field of art and culture, heads of local newspapers and television channels, members from universities and think tanks, representatives of Chinese and Indian companies as well as leading members of Indian diaspora.

China Shanghai International Arts Festival (CSIAF) is the only state-level International Arts Festival hosted by the Ministry of Culture of China and organized by Shanghai Municipal People's Government. The festival is known for participation from world renowned personalities in the field of Art.

For the first time ever in the 17-year history of the China Shanghai International Arts Festival, India has been designated as the guest country during the festival. The decision follows the high level importance attached by People’s Republic of China to India following Prime Minister H.E. Mr. Narendra Modi to China which happened a few months after the successful visit of President Xi Jinping to India. It also represents a renewed emphasis by the leadership of two countries on promoting people-to-people linkages as well as strengthening cultural exchanges between India and China.

The events at the India Culture Week showcase the best of contemporary Indian arts and comprise the following:

1.Musical-‘Bollywood Extravaganza’

2.Dance Performance ‘Sari’ by Daksha Sheth Dance Company

3.Tribal Music by ‘Rajasthan Josh’

4.Exhibition-‘Forms of Devotion’

Each of the above performances would be staged at multiple venues across Shanghaifrom Nov 5-11. The exhibition titled “Forms of Devotion” would remain open for public viewing at China Art Museum from November 6, 2015 - February 21, 2016. The complete schedule of the Culture Week with details of the programme outline is attached atAnnex I.

The inaugural of the India Culture Week was followed by the opening performance `Bollywood Extravaganza’. Even though the Theatre has a sitting capacity of 1600, the tickets for the show were sold out more than one month in advance. The one and a half hour long performance was highly appreciated by the audience, with the cast receiving standing ovation in the end. The musical theatre production `Bollywood Extravaganza’ filled with romance, drama, vibrant music, choreography song and dance, fights, feuds and confrontations delighted the audience who loved the lavish setting and extravagant costumes. The show brought forth the grandeur of Bollywood and their larger than life story onto the stage in musical form.

The India Culture Week at China Shanghai Arts Festival aims to provide Chinese friends a glimpse of the multi-faceted cultural traditions of India as well as enable a better understanding of India among Chinese people. The cultural performances are also expected to lead to a greater collaboration between Indian & Chinese performing Arts and corresponding institutions. Further this year being the Visit India Year in China, it is expected that this Festival will encourage more Chinese tourists to travel to India and see for themselves the rich and diverse cultural heritage of India.

The India Culture Week in Shanghai has been brought together by the collective effort and support of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Ministry of Tourism and several leading companies engaged in promotion of India China bilateral trade and investments.

Shanghai

5th November 2015

Enclosures:

Annex I :  Programme schedule of Culture Week

Annex II:  Pictures of opening-cum-reception and Bollywood dance performance