Consulate General of India

Kaya, Namaskar, Sat sri akal, salam alaikum, and a very good evening to today’s audience, and our special artists who have travelled all the way from India to present their art.

At the beginning I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land, the Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation, and, on behalf of the entire Indian community in Western Australia, pay my respects to their Elders - past, present and emerging.

I would like to thank Sangita Bansal, President of Rajasthani Kutumb and her team for being the energy behind today’s performance in Perth. The journey began with Sangita ji approaching the Consulate earlier this year requesting the support of ICCR or the Indian Council for Cultural Relations to invite artists from India to perform on the occasion of Teej. The proposal slowly grew to the current country-wide tour of the Harish Ishu Sapera in Australia on the occasion of India’s 79^th Independence Day. I am very grateful that the Rajasthani Kutumb since came forward to support the stay in Perth and travel onward to Melbourne for our artists.

I wish to acknowledge the support of the ICCR in making today possible, as well as the ISWA for its continued to support to the various organisations of the Indian community.

It is my pleasure to welcome to our midst today’s artists, Smt Ishu, Smt Durga, Smt Sonu, Shri Rajendra Singh, Shri Dalip Singh, and Shri Nem Nath. Groups like to Harish Ishu Sapera continue to keep the ancient traditions of Indian folk art alive and vibrant to this day. The contribution of folk art-forms permeates our daily lives in popular music, cinema, art, and fashion, enriching our lives and making them more colourful and enchanting. They tie us to our roots and traditions, and remind us of our ties to nature and the land that we all originate from.

Thank you