The Indian Panorama

Tag: Culture

  • Punjabi curriculum will soon be added in Western Australian public schools

    Punjabi curriculum will soon be added in Western Australian public schools

    PERTH (TIP): Punjabi is all set to be taught in public schools of Western Australia. As per the WA government statement, development of Punjabi curriculum for WA schools will commence this year and syllabuses will be developed for pre-primary to Year 12.

    Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery said a Punjabi curriculum will be developed and made available to Western Australian schools. “Punjabi will be fully developed in Western Australia by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority for pre-primary to Year 12 students,” she stated.

    Curriculum writers will develop syllabuses and support materials for schools.

    In Western Australia, languages education becomes compulsory from Year 3. The pre-primary to Year 10 syllabuses will be available to schools from 2024.

    It is anticipated that the Year 11 courses will be available to students in 2024, with the first ATAR Course Examination to be set in 2025. This follows the announcement in 2021 of the development of syllabuses for Hindi, Korean and Tamil, which will be introduced to schools next year.

    “With more than 190 languages spoken throughout Western Australia, linguistic diversity is a great strength of our State and provides a range of social, cultural and economic benefits,” said Sue Ellery.

    “It is also important that we develop courses that suit the needs of our young people.

    “Last year, the WA Government led the state’s largest ever business delegation to India amid a broader strengthening of our engagement with the country. I am pleased to see the ongoing expansion of languages curriculum for WA students, and the development of Punjabi curriculum is particularly fitting given it could support students in key future employment opportunities,” she stated.

  • IALI India Fest 2019 Draws Crowds

    IALI India Fest 2019 Draws Crowds

    LONG ISLAND, NY(TIP): India Fest , the biggest showcase of Indian culture was held on 22 September 2019 at Hyatt Regency in Long Island.

    The day-long event (12 noon to 8 P.M.)  presented the picture of an Indian festival There were 35 vendors with all kinds   of merchandise like sarees, jewelry etc. Banks, travel agencies and a few non-profit organizations , too, had their booths.

    They had the show aflame : participants in fashion show.

    Visitors found IALI booth very interesting where  they were guided in wearing sarees and tying turbans. It was the first time in the history of IALI that visitors were served free food.

    A view of the gathering

    A variety cultural program and a fashion show were very much appreciated.  The Sikh martial art -Gatka- by professional Gatka performers and the Kerala drum players stole the hearts of visitors.

    Steve Bellone, Suffolk County Executive and  Kevin Thomas NYS Senator graced the occasion with their presence. A record number of fifteen past presidents of the association also attended the event. IALI President Lalit Aery thanked the dignitaries, guests and  visitors for their presence and participation. He thanked the  IALI team for making the event a grand success.

    The organizers

    An estimated more than two thousand people attended the fun-filled India Fest.

  • Maestro of Manipuri Dance Guru Bipin Singh’s birth centenary celebrated in New York

    Maestro of Manipuri Dance Guru Bipin Singh’s birth centenary celebrated in New York

    Bidisha Roy

    NEW YORK(TIP): Manipuri Dance Visions – Institute of Manipuri Dance presented “Dance Homage” – Celebration of Manipuri dance in North America commemorating the birth centenary of Late Guru Bipin Singh (Iconic master of Manipuri dance) on august 25, 2018 in Studio One, Barnard College, Columbia University. The event was co-sponsored by Prof. Uttara Asha Coorlawala, professor of dance department, Barnard College, Columbia University.

    Three generations of Guru Bipin Singh’s disciples came together to perform and pay tribute to this Manipuri dance icon who became a legend in his life time. Performers were Sohini Ray, Sanjib Bhattacharya, Jagannath Lairenjam, (direct disciples of Guru Bipin Singh), Krishnakali Dasgupta (grand-disciple like grand-children – Krishnakali studied with Poushali Chatterjee and Sohini Ray) and Annie Ferdous (grand-disciple – Annie studied  with Shantibala Devi in Dhaka) and her students from the Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts (great-grand-disciples) in Queens, New York including Taseen Ferdous, Faroza Joty, Zarrin Maisha, Apiya Jahan Pompi and Tanjeela Newaz.

    Padma Shri Darshana Jhaveri’s DVD on bhangi parengs was released ceremonially.  Several luminaries of the New York dance world – Rajika Puri, Jonathan Hollander, Uttara Asha Coorlawala and Parijat Desai graced the occasion as guests of honor.  Several members of the local Manipuri community extended their helping hands. Jasmine Rashid served as the master of ceremony. Achuta Manasa, disciple of Sohini Ray supervised the creation of the fliers in record time in Andhra Pradesh, India.  A special thanks to Jan Steward for donating her time and labor in creating the graphics for the brochure.

    Several letters of blessings from Darshana Jhaveri, Kalavati Devi, Sunil Kothari, Laily Basu and Christel Stevens blessed the function.

    Group photo of members of local Manipuri community in New York, distinguished guests and the performers

    The dance program followed showcased Radharoopvarnan by Krishnakali Dasgupta, Sakshat darshan by Sohini Ray, Krira prabandha by Sanjib Bhattacharya, pung cholom by Jagannath Lairenjam, mridang vadan by Sohini, Sanjib an Krishnakali on pung and Jagannath on karate; and also a dance group number with manjira by students of Annie Ferdous.

    Program brochure contained a separate insert about Guru Bipin Singh including his photos, a full biography and a rare quote published in 1979 in the book “Guru Bipin Singh” written by the late Nayana Jhaveri.

    “Manipuri Dance is rich, graceful, lyrical and aesthetically elevating. Its rhythm pattern is complex and absorbing, essentially devotional, its themes are varied and vast and intensely dramatic. .I must, with full trust in God and his Grace, keep diving deeper and deeper into its intrinsic beauty and develop it into a powerful, enchanting and intelligible theatre art and present it to people all over India and abroad….this is my life’s work.”

    Guru Bipin Singh (published in 1979)