Overview

• Culture Secretary Vivek Aggarwal chaired a meeting at IGNCA with senior representatives of the UAE, Suriname and the Netherlands to seek cooperation on a joint nomination.
• He later held a virtual session with Indian envoys to Mauritius, Fiji, Suriname, the UAE and the Netherlands to coordinate community identification and data collection.
• Participating diplomats welcomed the initiative, citing the festival’s prominence among diaspora communities in their countries and pledging support.
• The Sangeet Natak Akademi has been directed to compile the proposal, following a July request from the Chhathi Maiya Foundation for recognition.
• Officials say the bid targets UNESCO’s Representative List under the 2003 Convention for the 2026–27 cycle, with no formal nomination filed yet and 15 Indian elements already inscribed.