PASIGHAT, 9 Oct: As part of its golden jubilee celebrations, SPIC MACAY is reaching small towns, remote villages and border areas across different districts of Arunachal Pradesh, bringing Indian classical music and dance closer to school students.

The programme is being coordinated by state coordinator Chayanika Vashisth, with the support of deputy commissioners and the Education Department. At the district level, the programme is being coordinated by KGBV coordinator Opet Doso and DDSE office science and technology coordinator Aido Tayeng.

SPIC MACAY will complete 50 years in 2027, with its golden jubilee celebrations being hosted by IIT Delhi, along with international conventions and programmes at different locations worldwide. As a lead-up to this milestone, SPIC MACAY is undertaking extensive outreach across the country.

In Arunachal, the outreach is being conducted in phases, with the first phase from 5-9 October and the next from 27-31 October, covering 10 schools in each district and taking the experience of India's rich cultural heritage to students, including those in remote and border regions.

A dedicated Manipuri dancer, Ivana Sarkar, trained under Guru Kalavati Devi and Guru Bimbavati Devi at Manipuri Nartanalaya, is an empanelled artist with EZCC, SPIC MACAY and Doordarshan. She is also a recipient of the 2023 Dr Sunil Kothari Award.

During the first phase of the workshop from 5-9 October, Sarkar performed classical Manipuri dance at different schools in Pasighat block in East Siang district. (DIPRO)