Surat, June 28 (IANS) A young Garba practitioner from Gujarat has been selected for one of India’s highest honours for emerging performing artists, with Bardoli-based folk dancer and musician Twisha Vyas chosen for the 2025 Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, under the Union Ministry of Culture, for her contribution to the folk dance tradition of Garba.

The recognition comes a few years after UNESCO inscribed Gujarat’s traditional Garba on its ‘Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’, placing renewed attention on efforts to preserve and promote the state’s folk traditions.

Twisha Vyas, who runs the V. Killolkumar Group of Music & Dance Academy in Bardoli, said Garba represented much more than a dance form.

“Garba is a living expression of faith, culture and collective identity. My artistic journey had been guided by a commitment to understanding not only Garba’s performance techniques but also its original form, traditions, spirituality and cultural significance,” she said.

She believes younger generations should view Garba not merely as entertainment but as a living cultural heritage and that collective efforts are needed to preserve its sanctity and traditional character.

Vyas holds a postgraduate degree in English Literature and has also completed a Master of Performing Arts (M.P.A.) and an M.A. in Bharatanatyam, graduating as an Alankar Gold Medallist.

Alongside her work in folk dance, she is an accomplished violinist and has performed before President Droupadi Murmu, former President Ram Nath Kovind and music composer Anandji Kalyanji.

She is also trained in the mandolin, flute, harmonium and tabla. According to her, this grounding in both music and dance has shaped her understanding of rhythm, expression and performance, elements that she incorporates into her Garba presentations.

Over the years, Vyas has performed at several cultural events organised by the Gujarat government, including the International Tarnetar Fair, Chotila Festival, Modhera Festival, Dakor Faganotsav, Vasantotsav, G20 events, Gujarat Gaurav Abhiyan and Ambaji Mahotsav.

She has also served as a judge in government competitions such as Kala Mahakumbh and Yuva Utsav.

Her performances have extended beyond Gujarat, representing the state’s Garba and folk culture in Rajasthan, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, Kolkata, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh.

Reflecting on the national recognition, Vyas described the award as the beginning of a greater responsibility rather than the culmination of her work.

“Preserving traditional art forms required sustained commitment, particularly at a time when they coexist with changing lifestyles and commercial entertainment,” she added.

Vyas’s selection for the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar recognises both her individual contribution to Garba and the continuing efforts of young practitioners to preserve and promote Gujarat’s folk traditions for future generations.

–IANS

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