A first-of-its-kind Indian music and dance festival aimed to showcase the country’s rich and diverse culture was kicked off in iconic Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia. The 10-week festival “Confluence: Festival of India” was inaugurated by Union Tourism and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma with spectacular joint performances by Indian and Australian artists.

• Almost 2000 people attended the two-hour long show which showcased the rich and diverse culture of Indian music and dance along with Australian performers.

• The festival, an initiative of Indian government supported by the Australian side, will run across seven cities including Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Canberra and Adelaide. Others who attended the event were Indian high commissioner Navdeep Suri, Indian consul generals of Sydney and Melbourne.

• Launching the festival at a gala reception organised by NSW government.The event is expected to be an event of quality which will surpass the expectations of the Prime Minister as well as that the economic relations with India will grow further as it emerges as one of the world’s largest economies.

• The concert which marked the launch of the festival included the famous Manipuri drummers, Sufi singing artist Sonam Kalra, odissi, Kathak and Bharatnatyam dancers, Australian musicians and aboriginal dancers who received a standing ovation from the jam-packed audience.