Pune: Pune Festival, a confluence of music, dance, drama, art, singing, instruments, sports and culture is celebrating its 27th year. The 27th Pune Festival, to be held during the Ganeshotsav from September 17 to September 27 will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Shri. Devendra Fadnavis at 4:00 PM on Friday, September 18 at Ganesh Kala Krida Rangmanch, Pune. Union Minister of State for Environment Shri. Prakash Javadekar, Maharashtra’s Food and Civil Supplies Minister and Pune’s Guardian Minister Shri. Girish Bapat, Minister of State for social welfare Mr. Dilip Kamble, Minister of State for Water Resources Mr. Vijay Shivtare and Ex. Minister Mr. Harshwardhan Patil will be Chief Guests at the occasion. Pune Festival’s patron and veteran danseuse actress Hema Malini, Maharaja Yaduvir Krishnadatta Chamraja Wadiyar of Mysore, Noted Industrialist Rahul Bajaj, Actor Anil Kapoor, Actress Bindu, Actress Poonam Dhillon, Managing Director of Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation Parag Jain Nanutia, Mayor of Pune Dattatray Dhankawade and Dy. Mayor Aba Bagul will be the guest of the honor. The entire ceremony will be telecast live on Doordarshan.
Pune Festival is organized by Pune Festival committee, Citizens of Pune, Tourism department of Government of India and the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation.
Pune Festival’s patron, actress and danseuse Hema Malini has a special connection with the Pune Festival and she has presented the Ganesh Vandana / ballet 25 times during the 27 years of Pune Festival. This year also, she will present a dance ‘Shrikirshna Vandana’ based on devotion to Krishna along with her troupe during the inauguration ceremony.
Colors Marathi will be the main sponsors of the Pune Festival this year.
As is the tradition, achievers from various fields will be felicitated with ‘Pune Festival Award’ during the inauguration ceremony. This year, renowned musician Ajay-Atul, Dr. Uma Ganesh Natrajan and Actor Jackie Shroff will be felicitated with this honor. This year Pune Festival life time achievement award will be given to renowned actor Shashi Kapoor & Actor Prem Chopra in this function. Pune Festival Life time achievement award for Shashi Kapoor will be received by his son actor Kunal Kapoor.
The inauguration ceremony this year will also be spectacular as per the traditional and the inauguration ceremony this year will start with the sanai recital by Tukaram Daithankar. Dance program by danseuse and MP Hema Malini with her troupe based on the devotion of Krishna; Ganesh Vandana presented by the students of Kalavardhini with concept by Dr. Sucheta Bhide Chaphekar and choreography by Arundhati Patwardhan; demonstrations of malla khamb and Yoga by the 15 students each of Maharashtra Mandal; Fusion musical program having lavani and bhangra choreographed by Nikita Moghe and participation of 45 artists of Pune Festival including movie artists Neha Pendse, Resham Tipnis, Bhargavi Chirmule, Saurabh Gokhale & Pushkar Jog; ‘Jai Malhar and Gondhal Adishakticha’ the Devotional Maharashtra programme choreographed by Tejashri Adige and having participation of Shruti Marathe, Adinath Kothare, Prajakta Mali and Punyakar Upadhyay along with co artists and Lokmanya Tilak, the leader of peasants and savants, having darshan of Shri
Ganesha accompanied by his colleagues will be special attractions of the inauguration ceremony. Mr. Sudhir Gadgil will be the Marathi comparer of the inauguration ceremony while Ms. Neelam will be English comparer.
The donors and co- sponsors are Bajaj Group and Kohinoor Group. The associate sponsors are Ajinkya D.Y. Patil, NECC, Kalyani Group, B.G. Shirke, Bank of Maharashtra and Desai brothers.