Ansari to inaugurate Jubilee celebration of JNMDA
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, March 30 2014:
Vice-President of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari would inaugurate the Diamond Jubilee (60 years) Celebration of Jawaharlal Nehru Manipuri Dance Academy (JNMDA) on April 2 next month here.
Talking to media persons in this regard today, Vice-Chairman of JNMDA N Tombi said that the Diamond Jubilee Celebration of JNMDA would be held for one whole year beginning from April 1 next month.
Vice-President Hamid Ansari would formally inaugurate the year-long celebration April 2 .
Kabui dance, Kuki dance, Mao dance, Basanta Rass and Rabindranath Tagore's Bidai Abhishap (dance drama) would be shown during the inaugural function, he stated.
Tombi further said that the then Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was the man behind the establishment of JNMDA.
Impressed with Manipuri Raas Lila when it was first shown to him by Maharaj Bodhachandra, Nehru granted a sum of Rs.12,000 from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund to set up Manipur Dance College at Babupara in 1952 .
Later on, the name of the college was changed to "Jawaharlal Nehru Manipuri Dance Academy" as a mark of honour to Pandit Nehru.
Now, the JNMDA is functioning under Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi with about 50 teachers in five different streams, the Vice-Chairman noted.
Tombi also thanked the Governor, Chief Minister, Works Minister and other officials of State Government for their immense help and contribution towards organizing the Diamond Jubilee Celebration.
On the occasion of its Diamond Jubilee, JNMDA would honour 10 eminent gurus, dancers and scholars, namely Dr Kapila Vatsyayan (Delhi), RK Singhajit (Delhi), Devjani Chaliha (Kolkata), Darshana Jheveri (Mumbai), H Ngangbi Devi (Manipur), Y Jatra (Manipur), L Ibohalmacha (Manipur), N Ibobi (Manipur), Ng Kerani (Manipur) and Kh Mangi (Manipur) .
Five meritorious students of the Academy would also be presented gold medals during the celebration.