Indian Diaspora celebrates ICCR Foundation Day in Dar

The ICCR is an autonomous organization of the Indian government and the institution's commemoration is done in various parts of the world.

The celebration involves Indian Diaspora singers performing Indian classical traditional music which reveals a variety of Indian arts and culture.

Soumya Chavan, the Dar es Salaam's Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC)’s Director, said that the event took place at the SVCC venue and was attended by India's High Commissioner to Tanzania, Binaya Pradhan, Deputy High Commissioner Sri Manoj Verma, and Indian Diaspora in Tanzania.

“As part of ICCR Foundation Day celebrations, Vishnu Mishra, the SVCC’s vocal artist, instructor, and performer, and Surojato Roy, the Babla instructor at SVCC, performed at the occasion and won enormous applause from the audience,” she said.

During the event, the two artists played Indian table drums and sang the rainy season song titled ‘Raag  Megh’, and other songs, winning applause from the audiences that acknowledged the duo's performance.

“As we celebrate ICCR day in Tanzania, India's High Commission to Tanzania announced the scholarships under the Africa scholarship scheme of the ICCR for Tanzanians pursuing undergraduate, post-graduate, and doctoral courses in Indian universities for the academic year 2023-24,” she said.

According to Soumya, interested international students can submit their application online through ICCR’s A2A scholarship portal http://a2ascholarships.iccr.gov.in.

The SVCC Director pointed out that applicants' age should be between 18 to 20 years at the time of admission. In respect of the Ph.D. program, the official noted, the age limit is 45 years.

The scholarship includes a return economy class flight ticket to the nearest airport to the place of study apart from tuition fees paid to the institute and a monthly stipend.

According to her, personal medical insurance is a mandatory requirement for availing ICCR scholarship, adding the ICCR will not be offering medical coverage.

Applicants are advised to go through the guidelines available on the A2A portal and submit the application online latest by April 30, 2023, and for any technical assistance in the application procedures, the applicant may contact a2asupport.iccr@gov.in.

ICCR was established on April 1950 by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad to actively participate in the formulation and implementation of policies and programs regarding India’s external relations.

The institution further aims to foster and strengthen cultural relations and mutual understanding between India and other countries including Tanzania.

The institution promotes cultural exchanges with other countries and people to develop relations with nations.

ICCR operates through a global network of cultural centers and India’s Diplomatic missions and posts abroad.

Currently, there are 36 Indian cultural centers all over the world which work closely with the Indian embassies and are headed by directors.

The ICCR has been sanctioned with the authority to implement several programs.

“The two key areas of ICCR’s operations are academic and intellectual exchange programs and the active promotion of visual and performing arts and artistes all over the world," she said.

According to her, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations holds various scholarships and orientation programs.

She disclosed the courses offered to people willing to study in India are at undergraduate, post-graduate, and Ph.D. levels.

Soumya noted that ICCR provides a platform for promoting Indian art, theatre, instrumental, and vocal music of the Carnatic and Hindustan genres and folk art forms to audiences abroad.

The institution, the official noted, also encourages active discussions and interaction between scholars and those interested in Indian languages, culture, and heritage by organizing seminars, conferences, and workshops.

Mishra, the SVCC's vocal artist, instructor, and performer pointed out during the event, he performed one of the oldest ragas in Indian classical music, Raag Megh, which is believed to be nearly 300 to 400 years old.

Raag Megh is a seasonal 'Raag', Dar es Salaam is, at present, experiencing monsoon season, the word 'Megh' means cloud, hence it is often said that 'Raag Megh' is sung to yield rain, the musician said.

He said 'Raag Megh' is seasonal music depicting monsoon and is very famous around the world.

According to the musician, such a song is appreciated all over the world because of its frequency and embracing the rainy season.

The second song performed presented by him was also focusing on Monsoon, the song expresses the romantic mood of the woman on the return of her beloved.

He noted: As a teacher and performer, I'm very happy for what I did and the audience enjoyed it a lot."