Panel calls for separate folk arts akademi

“Unfortunately, even tragically, the folk and tribal art forms of our country are vulnerable to the forces of rapid socio-economic change. Many of these art forms face dilution of their original character, damage to their core structure and distortions,” the three-member committee headed by Congress MP Mani Sankar Aiyar noted.

“Indeed, some of these art forms have died out or are facing extinction. That would be a terrible loss to our colourful cultural matrix, for they represent its variety and vitality,” it observed in its report while recommending setting of a separate akademi  for folk and tribal culture.

The panel, set up by the Prime Minister to review the working of the zonal culture centres in August 2010 following the recommendations of central advisory board on culture, submitted its over 1000 page report, compiled in three volumes, to the ministry of culture and to Manmohan Singh recently.

Padma Vibhushan awardee Sitakant Mahapatra, a distinguished civil servant, and veteran actor Amol Palekar were the members of the committee.

“In stead over the years, they have not received the continued care and attention required to preserve and nurture them. The three akademies,   which have understandably been pre-occupied with the more well-known and classical arts, have been able to do remarkable work in promoting a cultural renaissance in the classical forms but have not been able to devote the attention required to folk and tribal arts,” the panel noted.