In a significant move for India’s cultural diplomacy, the country is set to dispatch its inaugural officially organized national youth arts delegation to the 1st Youth Delphic Games of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Departing on March 22, the 65-member Indian delegation will participate in the Games hosted by the city administration in collaboration with the International Delphic Committee.
This marks a historic occasion as it will be the first time that Indian artists will compete as a formally constituted national delegation at an international multi-disciplinary cultural competition, akin to global sporting events. The Indian contingent comprises 41 young artists from various regions of the country, engaging in disciplines such as folk music, dance, singing, visual arts, and more.
The delegation aims to represent India’s cultural diversity and showcase its artistic heritage to other SCO member nations, fostering people-to-people connections through youth involvement. Led by B. H. Anilkumar, IAS (Retd.), as Chief of Mission, and with Sandip Soparrakar as Chief Choreographer, the team also includes jury members from India, such as Sneha Venkatramani and Sulbha Joshi.
India’s participation in the SCO Youth Delphic Games signifies a significant step for its young artists and broader cultural presence on the global platform, emphasizing the country’s commitment to cultural exchange and diplomacy through the arts.
