The Government of India recognizes the country's rich cultural diversity and is committed to ensuring that National Akademis reach all regions, including culturally rich States and tribal areas. These Akademis have successfully fostered a vibrant art ecosystem by expanding their reach through strategic partnerships with Zonal Cultural Centres, State Akademies, and other government bodies. This is in addition to the extensive network of regional centers and sub-centers already in place across the nation.

These institutions and centers actively promote and preserve the diverse cultural heritage of their respective regions, with special emphasis on the needs of tribal communities. Some key initiatives are outlined below:

1. Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT) has set up four regional centers in Guwahati, Udaipur, Hyderabad, and Damoh to extend its outreach to rural and tribal areas.
2. Lalit Kala Akademi (LKA) organizes numerous events across indigenous regions of India and invites artists from around the world, including those from tribal areas, to participate in exhibitions and programs. Artists are also provided with galleries to display their works at LKA's centers in Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Lucknow, Bhubaneswar, Agartala, and Shimla. LKA operates six regional centers in Chennai, Garhi, Lucknow, Kolkata, Agartala, and Bhubaneswar.
3.  Sahitya Akademi (SA) is dedicated to preserving, promoting, and enriching Indian literature. SA has hosted national-level literary events in locations such as Kargil, Lakshadweep, Port Blair, Aizawl, Kohima, and Pasighat. The Akademi has four regional centers in Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Chennai. It has also established a North East Centre for Oral Literature (NECOL) in Agartala, which focuses on the unrecognized languages of the North East, bringing out relevant publications and organizing language-specific activities and programs.
4.  National School of Drama (NSD) has set up five regional centers in Bengaluru, Agartala, Gangtok, Varanasi, and Srinagar to enhance outreach to rural and tribal communities.
5. Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) plays a crucial role in preserving and promoting India’s cultural heritage. IGNCA has nine regional centers in Varanasi, Guwahati, Bengaluru, Ranchi, Vadodara, Goa, Thrissur, Puducherry, and Jammu & Kashmir.
6.  Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs), including the North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC) established in June 1986, are dedicated to the promotion, preservation, and innovation of arts and crafts from the North East region, including its tribal areas.

This information was given by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

 

***

BY/SKT

(Release ID: 2082386) Visitor Counter : 480