A two-day folk festival by the Kalanjali Artistry Trust was inaugurated at the Utkal Mandap here in collaboration with the Odisha Government and the Evos Buildcon by Padma Shri Devi Prasanna Pattanaik. MP and actor Prashant Nanda joined as chief speaker.
Odia actor Sritam Das, Harihar Mohapatra, Evos Buildcon MD Kalinga Keshari Rath, singer Diptirekha Padhi, INWEC national president Sukirti Patnaik and CEO of Shushrut Hospital Chidatmika Khatua joined this as the guests of honour. On the occasion, traditional folk dances, Gotipua and Ranapa were performed. Similarly, a ramp show with Sambaluri dance and tribal jewellery fashion show were mesmerizing.
In the second session, Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das joined as the chief guest, while Brahmapur Mayor Sanghamitra Dadai joined as the chief speaker. Bhubaneswar Deputy Mayor Manjulata Kahar, Brahmapur Deputy Mayor E Vivek Reddy, Ollywood actors Harihar Dash, Hara Rath, dancer Shaswat Joshi, Mahan Sangha founder Susant Sabat, cultural activist Gurpad Balliarsingh, prominent Odishi vocal Guru Dr Sangeeta Gosain joined as the guests of honour and discussed on the theme 'Folk Dance in Odia films'.
Kalanjali Trust founder Rameshwari Nanda said that the trust would continue its effort to develop the folk art which is gradually disappearing. Trust treasurer Ardhendu Shekhar Panigrahi along with present.