Special features of the organization
Introduction: India International Rural Cultural Centre (IRCEN) has been serving the nation with a sole concept of promoting and performing arts that conceives values which contributes to promotion of humanity and peceful existence of mankind. Established in the year 1979 under the founder Presidentship of the then Honourable Chief Justice of India,Shri Y.V.Chandrachud, with a view to formulate and carry out such programmes which may help raise the standard of arts and social values in rural and tribal areas of the coutry. The Organisation has grown in strength year by year expanding its activities far and wide under the guidance of its Managing Committee comprising eminent persons from public administrations, management and other spheres of public life. By virtue of its nationwide activities and a number of branches in different States, it has attained status of an ALL INDIA LEVEL ORGANISATION. It has been proud privilege of the Organisation to have been headed continously for 17 years by the serving Chief Justice of India from 1979 to 1996 when Dr.Abid Hussain, a seasoned administrator and Indias Ambassador to U.S.A., took over the office of President of the Organisation having been unanimously elected by the Members of IRCEN. In 2002, the General Body, elected unanimously Shri S.C.Mahalik,former Secretary to Govt. of India and former Chairman, Orissa State Electricity Regulatory Commission, as President of India International Rural Cultural Centre. After he successfully completed 2 terms of office of 3 years each, Shri Lalit Mansingh, former Foreign Secretary,Govt.of India and Indias Ambassador to U.S.A. took over as President of the Organisation. , , The programmes and activities of the Organisation are implemented under the following heads:- , Youth Programmes , , i) Cultural Outreach to Rural & Tribal Youth , , The Rural youth in India are at disadvantageous position as they find themselves away from urbanised facilities. The life normally concentrates in city. Different beliefs, different traditions and customs, different religions are practiced in this country of cultural diversity. Future of India is shaped always by the largest segment of Indian society the youth . The young generaton who is equally proud of their country s heritage and are learning to experiments to innovate positive ideas to new cultural exploration need to be exposed to cultural diversity and traditions of India. The Organisation has rightly chosen young boys and girls of rural schools and colleges as its target group. Every year hundreds of lecture-performance cum workshops on Indian classical dances and music are organised in rural and tribal schools/colleges all over the country for the purpose of strengthening cultural values in education so that young generation should be acquainted with such values associated with Indian classical dances & music. These programmes of classical music & dances are presented by renowned performing artists. IRCEN has been fulfilling this task under one umbrella scheme National Programme for Youth and Adolescents Development (NPYAD) of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Govt. of India. , , ii) Income-Generating Training Programmes , The youth of India form one third portion of our population and they are integrated as forceful segment of Indian society. A great importance is attached to the development of this largest segment of the nation. Hence more opportunities should be created for them to develop their personality and functional capabilities. We have to inculcate in the minds of youth love for the country and its crying needs. It is, therefore, essential to channelise the energy of youth into constructive force so as to promote a sense of national integration and secularism among them. , , , There are thousands of illiterate, unemployed, underprivileged, and backward classes of people in India. Hence, there is a greater need hard work to achieve freedom from backwardness and to promote human society to a better world of prosperity and culture. In order to achieve this, India Interntional Rural Cultural Centre has been implementing at the grassroots of human society such projects in district towns in cooperation with the district authorities, benefiting the downtrodden and poverty stricken sections of Indian society. For this purpose, capacity building programmes such as income generating training, community living, promotion of social values, anti-drug addiction drive, preservation of India s cultural heritage, national integration among youth, strengthening of cultural values in education, are regularly launched in the country mainly in the rural and tribal areas for the benefit of youth. , IRCEN makes its best efforts to set up Vocational Training Centres in different rural, tribal and suburban areas of the country in order to provide an opportunity to the youth for the purpose of training in light technology, like bamboo-crafting, electronic goods such as T.V., Radio, etc. Repair training and in many more areas. Even, after completion of their training IRCEN helps the trainees to set up their own entrepreneurship and further helps them in securing loans from Government Nodal Agencies. , , iii) Exposing Youth to Cultural Diversity through Multi-Cultural Activity , , Several hundred recitals of India s classical music an dances as well as of folk dances and music of different regions of the country are presented regularly in different rural and tribal schools/colleges all over the country on the pattern of exchange culture . This programme not only exposes youth to vivid forms of India s cultural heritage and diversity but also spreads a message of cultural integration among youth of different regions of the country. In this process, special care is taken to expose youth to cultural traditions of different regions so that there could be useful interactions among the youth. The programme is presented by senior performing artists. Millions of rural youth have participated in such programmes and interacted with Artists face to face. , Although Indian cultural patterns are diverse yet the luxuriant fabric of unity and vision to look at the different sect of cultural heritage with appreciations always prevail. This scheme encourages the rural young populace to understand the hoary tradition of Indian Arts which imbibe a national consciousness. , Eminent Artists such as Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Ustad Asad Ali Khan, Padambhushan Prof. Debu Chaudhuri, Padamshri Ustad Sabri Khan, Pt. L.K. Pandit, Padamshri Prabha Atre, Smt. Kankana Banerjee, Padambhushan Yamini Krishnamurthy, Padambhushan Uma Sharma, Padamshri Shovana Narayan, Smt. Kanaka Srinivasan, Padamshri Smt. Vanashri and Guru Jaya Rama Rao, Guru Munna Shukla, Kalanidhi Narayan and several others have been associated with the Organisation since its inception in the year 1979. , , iv) National Cultural Integration Camps , , IRCEN organises Camps from time to time at different places of India inviting youth from all over the country from diverse cultural background, providing them a common platform for positive interaction with eachother. , , v) 2-day IRCEN Festival of Dances & Music PRAVAH , to provide a public form and to give wider exposure to performing Artists, IRCEN organises , 2-day Festival of Dance & Music PRAVAH in Kerala at Cochin, on 2nd & 3rd January, in Rajasthan at Jodhpur on 26th & 27th February & in Goa at Panaji on 5th & 6th September each year. In forthcoming years, the festival is expected to make headways to other States of the country. , , vi) Cultural Exchange Programmes with Different Countries , IRCEN has been successfully conducting Cultural Exchange Programmes on non-official basis with countries like Japan, China, Korea, Hungary, Lithuania, Malaysia, Egypt, etc. The Centre also receives cultural troupes from abroad to expose the Indian masses in suburban and rural areas to the beauty of Performing Arts of different countries in the world. , , INDOOR ACTIVITIES , , i)School of Performing & Fine Art , School of Performing & Fine Art, a subsidiary unit of India International Rural Cultural Centre (IRCEN) runs within the premises of the Organisation. It has well qualified professional faculty who impart training to students in different styles of classical dances, music and fine art as follows:- , 1. DANCE Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Odissi, Kuchipudi , 2. MUSIC Hindustani Vocal, Carnatic Vocal , 3. INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC Tabla, Violin, Harmonium, Sitar , About 100 students each year are enrolled in different disciplines of performing arts. The School has proudly produced several students after they obtained full training in their respective disciplines. Some of the students even got scholarship from CCRT of the basis of their knowledge, competence and training in their respective art style. , , ii)From time to time recitals of Folk dances & music are organised at the Open Air Theatre in IRCEN Building Complex. , , iii)Holi Celebration-Each year a cultural programme of Holi celebration is organised on the eve of Holi in close door hall of the IRCEN Building Complex.Packed hall audience witness different programmes that include classical dances,folk dance & music,Hindustani Vocal music & also Sufi Qawwali. , , ARTLAND , (A monthly Journal of Art Features, Arti
