Srinagar, June 19: Eminent Cultural personality and former Cultural Diplomat of India to South Africa and Mauritius, Padmashiri Balwant Thakur Thursday met Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the Union Minister for Tourism and Culture, Government of India at Srinagar and shared his cultural concerns relating to the development of art and culture in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir.
A statement issued here said that on the occasion he also presented a copy of the monograph detailing his enterprising creative journey as a playwright, theatre director and cultural administrator-ambassador. With over 45 years of his experience of arts creation and cultural administration at local, national and international levels, Balwant Thakur has developed a vision for culture for the UT of Jammu and Kashmir in particular and for the nation in general. He stressed on the dire need of the professional handling of cultural institutions in the larger interest of the preservation and promotion of both tangible and intangible heritage. Thakur worked as Secretary J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages for over a period of eight long years and is credited for bringing a new cultural renaissance in Jammu and Kashmir. Following this he remained as the Regional Director of Indian Council for Cultural Relations of over Six years and brought Germany, Russia, Spain, Poland, Zambia, Laos, Tunisia, Malaysia, and Mauritius, Bangladesh to perform in Jammu. In the similar fashion he took the culture of J&K to England, Egypt, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakistan, Bhutan, Japan and France. Later he headed Indian Cultural centres based in Johannesburg (South Africa) and Mauritius. Union Minister gave a patient hearing and desired to utilise Thakur’s vast global experience for the betterment of the culture.
