25th Bharat Rang Mahotsav, Rangaparishe 2026 inaugurated with grand ceremony in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: The 25th International Bharat Rang Mahotsav and Rangaparishe 2026 were inaugurated in a grand ceremony in the city on Sunday.

The festival is a joint initiative of the National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi, the Karnataka Nataka Akademi, and the Department of Kannada and Culture.

Senior Kannada litterateur Baraguru Ramachandrappa inaugurated the Bharat Rang Mahotsav, while Sri Panditaradhya Shivacharya Swamiji of the Taralabalu Branch Math, Sanehalli, inaugurated Rangaparishe.

Multilingual actor Prakash Raj released a special commemorative issue of Rangaparishe to mark the occasion.

The 'Utsava Gourava' award was conferred on Sri Panditaradhya Shivacharya Swamiji and veteran actor Umashree. The 'Ranga Gourava' was awarded to the Antaranga Amateur Theatre Group, marking 40 years of service, and to Kadamba Ranga Vedike.

The inauguration featured theatre songs presented by Pravara Theatre, Vijayanagara Bimba, and Bangalore University teams. A Bharatanatyam recital by Natya Bhairavi Kalakuteera was also staged.

On the festival’s opening day, 'Babuji' by NSD, New Delhi, and 'Kodalla Andre Kodalla' by the Nirdiganta Theatre Group were staged.

The event was attended by folk scholar Go Ru Channabasappa, Kannada Development Authority Chairman Purushottam Bilimale, and former Akademi president Srinivasa G Kappanna. Director of the Department of Kannada and Culture Gayathri KM and Karnataka Nataka Akademi President KV Nagarajamurthy were also present.