Celebration of ICCR Foundation Day

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations Foundation Day, celebrated annually on April 9th, marks the establishment of the council in 1950 by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, India's first Education Minister. It is a premier event dedicated to celebrating India's cultural diplomacy, fostering international understanding, and strengthening people-to-people ties across the globe.

The evening features:

Keynote address by Ambassador Shri Ajit Gupte. Mr. Gupte had served in ICCR as Deputy Director General to promote India’s cultural diplomacy and ‘soft power’ between 2008-2010.

Kathakali Cholliattam presentation by Ms Arya Parappore - a distinguished Kathakali artist from Kerala, India, currently based in Berlin. Since beginning her journey in 2006, under Guru Kalamandalam Venkittaraman, she has mastered a diverse range of characters, from the heroic Pacha to the villainous Kathi. With over 300 performances and advanced training from legends like Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody, Arya stands as a leading female practitioner taking on complex and sophisticated roles such as Ravana and Narakasura. ​In her upcoming 15-minute Cholliyattam performance, Arya presents a "stripped-down" version of the art form. This format removes the heavy traditional costumes, allowing the audience to focus on the raw technical skill, intricate hand gestures, and subtle facial expressions that make Kathakali storytelling accessible and comprehensible.

Kathak dance by Ms Anne Dietrich - a graduated Culture and Dance Educationalist as well as a professional dancer and choreographer with a strong international profile. Trained in Classical Ballet, Contemporary Dance, Jazz Dance and Improvisation techniques, she has also dedicated many years to the study of classical Indian dance forms. Anne studied Kathak under Guru Smt. Geetanjali Lal in Delhi and later immersed herself in Mohiniyattam at the Kerala Kalamandalam – Deemed University for Art and Culture in Kerala. She continued her Mohiniyattam training under Padmashree Bharati Shivaji, Kalamandalam Leelamma, and Pallavi Krishnan in Delhi. In addition to her artistic practice, Anne regularly teaches as a visiting faculty member at the National School of Drama (NSD) in New Delhi, contributing her expertise in movement, body awareness and interdisciplinary performance training to one of India’s most prestigious theater institutions.

Join us for an evening where dance, music, and poetry come together in a shared moment of reflection, beauty, and connection to celebrate the 76th anniversary of ICCR's Foundation day at the Tagore Centre, Berlin!

🕒 Time: 18:00 hrs, doors open at 17:15 hrs. Please arrive early to secure your seats.

🏛️ Venue: Embassy of India, Tiergartenstraße 17, 10785 Berlin

Entry regulations:

• Entry to events at the Embassy of India, Berlin is only by registration. We reserve the right to refuse admission to any person at our discretion.
• Valid ID cards/passports having German stay permits. EU citizens may carry copies of their local registration certificate.
• Entry for children above 6 years is permitted.
• No bags are permitted inside the premises due to security reasons.
• By attending the event, you grant us the right to take photographs and videos for purposes of marketing, publicity, internal documentation and social media.

Note: Children under 6 years are not permitted.

Einlassbestimmungen:

• Der Zutritt zu Veranstaltungen in der Indischen Botschaft in Berlin ist nur nach Anmeldung möglich. Wir behalten uns das Recht vor, Personen nach eigenem Ermessen den Zutritt zu verweigern.
• Gültiger Personalausweis/Reisepass mit Aufenthaltstitel für Deutschland. EU-Bürger können eine Kopie ihrer Meldebescheinigung mitbringen.
• Kinder ab 6 Jahren haben Zutritt.
• Aus Sicherheitsgründen ist das Mitführen von Taschen auf dem Gelände nicht gestattet.
• Mit der Teilnahme an der Veranstaltung erteilen Sie uns das Recht, Foto- und Videoaufnahmen für Marketing- und Werbezwecke, interne Dokumentation und soziale Medien zu machen.

Hinweis: Kinder unter 6 Jahren haben keinen Zutritt.

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Host or Publisher The Tagore Centre, Embassy of India, Berlin