Sonipat, Feb 16 (IANS) The Shallu Jindal Performing Arts Academy was inaugurated at O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) as a major new academic and cultural facility dedicated to advancing performing arts education, artistic research, and public cultural engagement within a multidisciplinary university environment.

Conceived as a purpose-built space for performance, pedagogy, and cultural exchange, the Academy features a proscenium stage, advanced acoustic design, tiered seating, and integrated gallery spaces. It will host performances, exhibitions, workshops, and interdisciplinary collaborations, serving students, faculty, visiting artists, and the wider community, while reinforcing the role of the arts in higher education.

The inauguration ceremony was graced by eminent Kuchipudi exponents and Padma Bhushan awardees Dr Raja Reddy, Dr Radha Reddy, and Dr Kaushalya Reddy, alongside Shallu Jindal, Chairperson, Jindal Foundation, and Naveen Jindal, Chancellor of JGU.

Dr Raja Reddy highlighted the importance of institutional platforms for classical arts, noting that dedicated academic spaces play a vital role in preserving India’s artistic traditions while preparing future generations for disciplined and meaningful creative practice.

Shallu Jindal said that the Academy reflects the belief that artistic practice contributes to more reflective, empathetic, and harmonious societies and expressed hope that the space would inspire students to engage deeply with discipline, creativity, and service.

Naveen Jindal, the Founding Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University, emphasised the role of the arts in holistic education. He said that universities must nurture not only intellectual excellence but also cultural and artistic sensibilities, and that the Academy strengthens JGU’s commitment to nation-building through education, culture, and creativity.

Professor (Dr) C. Raj Kumar, the Founding Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University, elucidated that the Academy is named in recognition of Shallu Jindal’s long-standing contribution to the performing arts, cultural philanthropy, and institution-building. Through her work with the Jindal Foundation and other initiatives, she has supported education, health, rural development, and the promotion of traditional arts across India. This will pave the way for JGU launching a new School of Performing Arts with programmes in music, dance, theatre, and other performing arts courses with a strong emphasis on experiential learning.

The Shallu Jindal Performing Arts Academy forms part of JGU’s broader cultural and academic infrastructure and complements existing teaching facilities and the Jindal International Convention Centre (JICC), which hosts international academic conferences, cultural programmes, and public engagements. Together, these facilities strengthen the University’s vision of integrating academic inquiry with cultural expression.

Designed by Stephane Paumier, his architectural vision has given this structure its distinctive character. Spread across the landmark building’s several floors, the Academy is dedicated to nurturing artistic excellence and cultural expression. It features a 1,000-seater state-of-the-art auditorium and twenty-four galleries for hosting wide-ranging performances, exhibitions, and other creative explorations.

With the launch of the Shallu Jindal Performing Arts Academy, O.P. Jindal Global University reinforces its commitment to embedding arts and culture within higher education, positioning the University as a space where creative practice, scholarship, and public engagement advance together.

The concluding remarks at the landmark event were given by Professor Dabiru Sridhar Patnaik, Registrar, JGU, who said, “The inauguration is a historic moment and the beginning of a cultural legacy for the entire JGU community, as the arts strengthen the spirit and elevate humanity.”

–IANS

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