Minister of State for Education, Technical Education, Culture, Tourism, Horticulture, Floriculture and Parks Priya Sethi today highlighted the importance of connecting with the cultural heritage to fight social evils.She was speaking at a musical event ‘'Sur Sangam’ organized by the Jammu & Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL) here at Abhinav Theater. Priya Sethi, while addressing the gathering said, “Jammu and Kashmir is a beautiful blend of cultures and languages and they mesh together to give us our rich heritage. JKAACL is a medium to preserve and promote this culture of ours and pass it on to the coming generations”.Stressing on the need for organizing more such events, the Minister said that they provide people an opportunity to connect with their cultural heritage.Priya said that the impact of these cultural events is far and wide and act as a strong medium to fight social vices plaguing the society. She said that encouraging participation in such activities will not only educate people about their culture but also reinforce the fight against social vices and help address societal ills by instilling high moral standards and cultural values.
The Minister congratulated the participating singers who left the audience spellbound with their melodious voice. She also appreciated the continuous efforts of the academy to promote Art, Culture and Languages. She expressed her gratitude to the JKAACL for giving her an opportunity to be a part of this beautiful rich evening.Secretary JKAACL Dr. Aziz Hajini, in his address, thanked the Minister for her constant support to the academy. He highlighted the important activities of the Academy which are underway and are expected to be executed on ground level in near future.The singers who performed and mesmerized the audience were Suraj Singh, Sham Sajan, Surinder Manhas, Jeevan Sharma, Subash Langeh and Neelam Langeh and the accompanist were Rakesh Anand (Flute), Jagmeet Singh (Guitar), Vicky Gill (Synth), Neeraj Verma (Tabla) and Darbari Lal (Dholak). The evening was attended by a galaxy of learned minds, intellectuals, art and music lovers besides prominent citizens. Additional Secretary, JKAACL, Arvinder Singh Amn was also present on the occasion. The programme was anchored by Ravi Kant.