Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre inaugurates ‘Sampriti’ art exhibition in Dhaka

The Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre, under the High Commission of India, inaugurated the art exhibition “Sampriti” at IGCC in Gulshan on Thursday.

The exhibition has been organised as a continuation of the “Sampriti” Art Camp held on 10-11 April to mark the 77th foundation day of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, which was established on 9 April 1950.

The inauguration coincided with the 165th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. The programme began with the ceremonial lighting of a lamp in tribute to Tagore by Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma, alongside eminent Bangladeshi artists Rafiqun Nabi, Monirul Islam, Farida Zaman and Abdus Sattar.

Speaking on the occasion, Pranay Verma said Tagore remains a towering figure of the shared cultural heritage of India and Bangladesh and embodies the ideals of creativity, humanism and cultural harmony that continue to enrich bilateral ties.

The exhibition features works created during the two-day art camp by 33 contemporary Bangladeshi artists and ICCR scholars, including Rafiqun Nabi, Monirul Islam, Abdus Shakoor, Abdus Sattar, Farida Zaman, Ranjit Das, Jamal Ahmed and Naima Haque.

Curated by Sanjoy Chakraborty of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Dhaka University, the exhibition celebrates cultural harmony, mutual understanding and artistic collaboration between India and Bangladesh.

Formally inaugurating the exhibition, Pranay Verma said the relationship between India and Bangladesh is deeply rooted in shared history, language, culture and enduring people-to-people ties.

He added that art remains one of the most powerful mediums through which these bonds are expressed and renewed.

The High Commissioner also paid tribute to eminent artist and ICCR scholar Tarun Ghosh, who passed away in April. One of his works has been included in the exhibition in honour of his artistic legacy.

Speaking at the event, Rafiqun Nabi and Monirul Islam expressed hope that “Sampriti” would inspire greater artistic exchanges between India and Bangladesh and further strengthen cultural links between the two neighbours.

The evening also featured Rabindra Sangeet performances by Shahnaz Nasrin Ila of the Department of Music at Dhaka University.

The exhibition will remain open to the public from 8 May to 17 May at the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre in Gulshan.