Tag Archives: G20 India

India’s Newest Cultural Destination ‘Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre’ Opens in Mumbai

Mumbai, 30th March 2023: India’s first-of-its-kind, multi-disciplinary cultural space, the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, opens on Friday, March 31, 2023, with an exquisite showcase of the best of India across music, theatre, fine arts and crafts to audiences from India and the world. The Centre will mark another definitive step in strengthening India’s cultural infrastructure and bringing to fruition the best of India and the world in the sphere of arts.

The Cultural Centre opens with a musical, a costume art exhibition, a visual art show and a special craft exposition- showcasing India’s diverse heritage

India’s first-of-its-kind, multi-disciplinary cultural space, the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, opens on Friday, March 31, 2023, with an exquisite showcase of the best of India across music, theatre, fine arts and crafts to audiences from India and the world.

The launch programming features a specially curated art and craft exposition called ‘Swadesh’ along with three blockbuster shows – a musical theatrical called ‘The Great Indian Musical: Civilization to Nation’; a costume art exhibition called ‘India in Fashion’ and a visual art show called ‘Sangam/Confluence’. Together, the programming is and exploration into the diversity of India’s cultural traditions and their impact on the world, while also showcasing the diversity of spaces at the Cultural Centre.

Speaking on the occasion, Mrs. Nita Ambani said, “Bringing this Cultural Centre to life has been a sacred journey. We were keen to create a space for both promoting and celebrating our artistic and cultural heritage in cinema and music, in dance and drama, in literature and folklore, in arts and crafts and in science and spirituality. A space where we showcase the best of India to the world and welcome the best of the world to India.”

The Centre will be highly inclusive with free access for children, students, senior citizens, and the differently abled, and will strongly focus on community nurturing programmes including school and college outreach and competitions, awards for Arts teachers, in-residency Guru-shishya programs, art literacy programs for adults, etc.

The launch programming has been imagined to highlight India’s immense cultural impact and provide a platform where the artist meets the audience. The one-of-its-kind art and craft exposition called ‘Swadesh’ celebrates unique and iconic Indian regional artforms including eight stunning crafts that the Reliance Foundation has supported over the years, such as Pichwai, Banarasi weaving, Pattachitra, Sozni embroidery, Blue Pottery, Kal Baffi, Paithani and candles made by the visually impaired.

The three arts showcases carry the theme forward:

1. ‘The Great Indian Musical: Civilization to Nation’ – India’s biggest ever musical, with a line-up of exceptional Indian talent, along with a Tony & Emmy award-winning crew, has been conceived and directed by Feroz Abbas Khan. The immersive theatrical experience will

premiere inside the Centre’s 2,000-seater Grand Theatre, which also features a world-class stage that is framed by the largest proscenium in India.
The marquee production will bring together exceptional Indian talent such as Ajay-Atul (music), Mayuri Upadhya, Vaibhavi Merchant, (choreography) along with 350+ artists including an epic 55-piece live orchestra from Budapest, to showcase India’s cultural journey through history. The visual spectacle will also feature over 1,100 costumes designed by leading fashion designer Manish Malhotra.

2. India in Fashion – Curated by prolific author and costume expert Hamish Bowles and designed by award-winning exhibition designer Patrick Kinmonth along with Rooshad Shroff, this first-of-its-kind exhibition will showcase over 140 pieces of costume documenting India’s impact on the global fashionable imagination. The India-inspired pieces have been sourced from some of the biggest museums and unseen personal collections from around the globe. The exhibition’s spectacular set will feature costumes from iconic brands such as Chanel and Dior to key historic pieces dating as far back as the 18th century.

3. Sangam/Confluence – Marking the opening of the Art House – a dedicated space for visual arts, it will feature multiple pieces from 5 Indian and 5 international artists celebrating India’s diverse cultural impulses and traditions. Curated by Jeffrey Deitch and Ranjit Hoskote, the exhibit is inspired by the idea of unions deeply rooted in Indian culture. From the works of internationally acclaimed artists like Anselm Kiefer and Francesco Clemente – whose pieces will be displayed in India for the very first time – to the works of traditional Indian artists like Shantibai, this show is truly a melting pot of unique narratives.

With this, the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre invites everyone to a sensory journey of India’s rich cultural history. Audiences can book tickets on nmacc.com or BookMyShow.

ameerul.hasan@thechangemakers.page

Air India Signs Letters of Intent to Acquire Modern Fleet/Aircraft

New Delhi, 14 February 2023: Air India, India’s leading airline group and part of the Tata Sons conglomerate, today announced that it has signed letters of intent with Airbus and Boeing to acquire both widebody and single-aisle aircraft.

The order comprises 40 Airbus A350s, 20 Boeing 787s and 10 Boeing 777-9s widebody aircraft, as well as 210 Airbus A320/321 Neos and 190 Boeing 737 MAX single-aisle aircraft. The A350 aircraft will be powered by Rolls-Royce engines

The order comprises 40 Airbus A350s, 20 Boeing 787s and 10 Boeing 777-9s widebody aircraft, as well as 210 Airbus A320/321 Neos and 190 Boeing 737 MAX single-aisle aircraft. The A350 aircraft will be powered by Rolls-Royce engines, and the B777/787s by engines from GE Aerospace. All single-aisle aircraft will be powered by engines from CFM International.

Commenting on the occasion, Tata Sons and Air India Chairman, Mr N Chandrasekaran, said: “Air India is on a large transformation journey across safety, customer service, technology, engineering, network and human resources. Modern, efficient fleet is a fundamental component of this transformation. This order is an important step in realising Air India’s ambition, articulated in its Vihaan.AI transformation program, to offer a world class proposition serving global travellers with an Indian heart. These new aircraft will modernise the Airline’s fleet and onboard product, and dramatically expand its global network. The growth enabled by this order will also provide unparalleled career opportunities for Indian aviation professionals and catalyse accelerated development of the Indian aviation ecosystem.”

The first of the new aircraft will enter service in late-2023, with the bulk to arrive from mid-2025 onwards. In the interim, Air India has already started taking delivery of 11 leased B777 and 25 A320 aircraft to accelerate its fleet and network expansion.

The acquisition of new aircraft, which will come with an entirely new cabin interior, complements Air India’s previously announced plan to refit its existing widebody B787 and B777 aircraft with new seats and inflight entertainment systems. The first of these refitted aircraft will enter service in mid-2024.

The Air India group currently comprises full-service Air India, as well as two low-cost subsidiaries Air India Express and Air Asia India which are in the process of merging. Its parent, Tata Sons, recently announced its intention to merge Air India with full-service airline Vistara, a joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines in which the former holds a 51% share. In steady state, subject to regulatory approval, the Group would comprise a single full-service airline, Air India, and a single lowcost airline, Air India Express. For more information, please visit http://www.airindia.in.

ameerul.hasan@thechangemakers.page

First G20 Education Working Group (EdWG) Meeting Concludes in Chennai, India

Collaboration with Universities across the globe for enhancing technology enabled learning among major outcome in the 2 day coclave

Collaboration with Universities across the globe for enhancing technology enabled learning among major outcome in the 2 day coclave

The India Chair of G20 Education Working Group (EdWG) and Secretary Higher Education Shri. Sanjay Murthy has said that collaboration with Universities across the globe would be the major outcome of the deliberations at the Chennai Meet.

Addressing Media persons after the conclusion of the two day 1st G20 Education Working Group in which 80 delegates from 30 countries and international organizations from member nations and special invitees participated, Mr. Sanjay Murthy said “best practices in Tech related education in member countries were discussed in a major way”.

Intensive presentations by UNICEF and other International organizations were made at the 2 day conclave. Mr. Sanjay Murthy said members expressed their willingness towards the goals and the priorities including capacity building measures for promoting life-long learning process in the context of of the future of working atmospheres, also finding long term sustainable solution to the similar educational challenges being faced by member countries placed in different geographies.

The meet also discussed in a detailed manner viz areas for an inclusive, equitable, relevant and quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Mr. Sanjay Murthy further said there would be 3 supplementary meetings of the educational group before the wide consensus will be arrived in the last meeting scheduled to be held in June this year. He said delegates expressed their sincere gratitude for the hospitality and arrangements made by the Tamil Nadu state government and IIT, Madras which hosted the seminar of Digital Technology as part of the G20 Education Working Group Meeting.

The meet also discussed in a detailed manner viz areas for an inclusive, equitable, relevant and quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Ministry of School Education, Secretary Thiru Sanjay Kumar who was also part of the conference said 2 issues including ways to strengthen literacy at the school level and the use of the Digital technology in furthering education was deliberated intensely by the delegates who attends the meet. He said the working group provided the platform to take note of best practices being followed by in by member nations. He said school education being followed in South Korea and European countries were discussed in a comprehensive way.

Mr. Sanjay Murthy said under the National Education Policy 50 % of the school going children will be skilled in the near future. Stating that recognition to those developing skills is of at most importance. He said a framework is being developed to capture the assessment of skills developed. He said the Diksha platform and other education related projects implemented was appreciated by the member countries who participated in the deliberations

He said the outcome of the meeting will be documented which will be taken forward in the next meeting to be held from 15 to 17 March in Amristar in Punjab.

Detailing the events that are to be held in the run up of the G20 Summit to be held in September he said there were 56 plus G20 meeting which are being in various parts of the country which will create a lot of opportunities in development in education and employment.

ameerul.hasan@thechangemakers.page