Minister of State for Education, Technical Education, Culture, Tourism, Department of Horticulture, Floriculture and Parks, Priya Sethi today called for making dedicated efforts for promotion of culture of the state through various art forms.This was stated by the Minister during Divisional Level Kala Utsav 2017 organised by Directorate of School Education Jammu under RMSA here today. The competition was held in various performing arts including Music, Theatre, Dance and Visual Arts.Emphasizing on providing equal opportunities to students for expression of their talents, the Minister said that these kinds of events are instrumental in preserving our cultural heritage besides encouraging budding talent and harness their skills. The Minister stressed on focusing on encouraging the students to learn varied art forms and nurture their talent with right guidance. Integration of art in education encourages student’s creativity and improves the mental capability, she added.
She said that the competition is an attempt to preserve the rich cultural heritage of state and country.Preservation, promotion and presentation of culture are essential for national development, the Minister asserted.Appreciating the organizing agencies, the Minister said that students needs a suitable platform to exhibit their talent optimally. She urged upon all the aspiring artists to put in a dedicated effort and move ahead in a right direction.The government has initiated proactive measures to safeguard and protect cultural diversity of the state, the Minister said and stressed the need of active participation of youth in preservation and promotion of our culture. Students from various school of Jammu Division participated in the event. District Kathua outshined in the event by winning both Visual Art & Dance category, Poonch grabbed first position in Theatre Play whereas Jammu walked away as a winner in Music category.Chief Guest also distributed prizes and mementos to the winning participants.Director School Education Jammu S. Ravinder Singh besides senior functionaries from Directorate of School Education and RMSA were present on the occasion.