Him Sangeet Utsav 2026 Begins at Gaiety Theatre, Shimla
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Shimla, March 9: The five-day Him Sangeet Utsav–2026 began at the historic Gothic Hall of Gaiety Theatre, Shimla, with Mohammad Furkan Khan, Director of the North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC), Patiala, inaugurating the festival by lighting the ceremonial lamp. The event is jointly organized by NZCC Patiala, the Language and Culture Department, Himachal Pradesh, and the Gaiety Dramatic Society, Shimla.
The opening day featured a captivating classical vocal performance by young Shimla-based singer Gunjan Channa, an A-Grade vocal artist of All India Radio, who also holds a B-Grade in violin. His presentation, including a Himachali Holi composition, received great appreciation from the audience. Channa is a former gold medalist in state-level youth festivals organized by Himachal Pradesh University and has also won silver at the All India University competition.
The event also showcased an impressive Kathak dance performance by Nitin Swati and group, disciples of renowned dancer Aval Saluja. The artists presented Shiv Stuti, Krishna Bhajan and Kathak fusion, earning applause from the audience. Nitin Swati has represented India internationally in Dubai, Sri Lanka and Bangkok and has won five All India University-level Kathak competitions.
According to Joint Director of Language and Culture Department Bhanu Gupta, the festival will continue till March 14, featuring performances by Deepak Mehta (classical and light music), Charu Sharma (light music) and Dharampal Thakur (Himachali folk songs).
The programme was hosted by NZCC announcer Mohita Dixit, and attended by several officials including Bihari Lal Sharma, Ravindra Sharma, Suresh Kumar, Anil Harta and other cultural representatives along with a large audience.
