CHENNAI: Saarang, the annual cultural festival of IIT Madras was inaugurated by IIT-M Director V Kamakotir, IIT-M, with a violin performance during the ‘Classical Night’ at Open Air Theatre on Wednesday. The 50th edition of the festival from January 10 to 14, is expected to attract a footfall of around 80,000.
To honour its Indian roots and celebrate the omnipresence of the spotted deer commonly found in the campus, the erstwhile ‘Mardi Gras’ was rebranded as ‘Saarang’ in 1996. This year, we are dedicating this event to the rich culture and traditions of Tamil Nadu, said Kamakoti in his inaugural speech.
Sathyanarayana N Gummadi, Dean, IIT-M said, “For the first time, a night will be dedicated to showcase both classical music and Tamil Nadu folk arts. The recently-introduced ‘Saarang Village’ assures spectators of a dedicated area where the diverse facets of India’s cultures come to life.”
Multifaceted playback singer Farhan Akhtar will perform on the last day and renowned celebrities like Nassar, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Rukmini Vijayakumar, Usha Uthup, and Manoj Bajpayee will be part of the ‘Spotlight Lecture Series.’ ‘Urjam’ a social campaign will also be held as part of the fest, to encourage people to switch to renewable energy sources, added the release.