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India has made a proud mark on the international cultural stage as young Indian artists entered the final rounds of multiple categories at the 1st Youth Delphic Games for SCO Member Nations, currently being held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
This is a historic moment, as it is the first time an official Indian team of artists has been organised and sent by the Modern Pythian Games, similar to India's participation in global sporting events, according to a press release. A group of eight girls from Karnataka and Uttarakhand -- Varidhi Deepak Deshpande, Bhavishya Pedda, Isabel Ann Philip, Vijayaraghavan, Manasa Vijayaraghavan, Soumithra Sivakumar, Srijan Singh, Maya Krishna and Srishti Ann Abraham -- have qualified for the finals in the 14-22 age category of folk dance. In another achievement, Ishita Singh from Himachal Pradesh has reached the finals in folk singing (18-25 years), while Pratik Das from West Bengal has secured a place in the finals of arts and crafts (sculpture, 18-22 years). However, some participants, including teams from Delhi and Himachal Pradesh, along with Daksh from Haryana and Siddharth from Chennai, could not progress beyond the first round. The 46-member Indian delegation, which arrived in Bishkek on March 22, includes 41 young artists from across the country. Participants are representing diverse fields such as folk dance, music, singing, visual arts, arts and crafts, DJ arts and piano. The Games are being hosted under the Chairmanship of Kyrgyzstan in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and are organised by the Mayor of Bishkek in collaboration with the International Delphic Committee, Moscow. India is also represented at the jury level, with Sneha Venkatramani, a noted Bharatanatyam guru from Bengaluru, and Sulbha Joshi, a renowned visual artist from Uttarakhand, serving as international jury members. The Indian Embassy in Bishkek extended strong support to the delegation. A special High Tea hosted by the Indian Ambassador provided an opportunity for interaction and encouragement to the young artists. The Ambassador also attended the opening ceremony, boosting the morale of the Indian team. The Pythian Games, considered among the oldest cultural games in the world, were revived in 2020 by Bijender Goel, founder of the Modern Pythian Games, after a gap of over 1,600 years. Historically, these games were held in Delphi, Greece, celebrating excellence in music, dance, poetry and arts. Speaking on the achievement, Bijender Goel said, "This is not just a win, but the beginning of a cultural movement. Indian young artists have shown that India's talent in arts and culture is world-class. This milestone will inspire many more young talents across the country." India's performance at the Youth Delphic Games marks an important step in promoting the country's rich cultural heritage at a global level. (ANI)
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