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Culture’s value to India goes far beyond heritage. It lies in the knowledge culture carries, the communities it sustains, the talent it nurtures, and the economic opportunities it can create. That larger role was the focus of Swarnika Samvaad, a dialogue on India’s creative and cultural economy held at the India International Centre in New Delhi on Saturday.Convened by Sonal Mansingh, founder-president of the Centre for Indian Classical Dances (CICD), the dialogue was part of the centre’s Golden Jubilee celebrations. It brought together voices from public life, academia, cultural institutions, the arts, and creative industries to explore how India can link its artistic traditions with contemporary development goals as it moves toward Viksit Bharat 2047.Culture as a Driver of DevelopmentThe inaugural plenary, “India, Culture and Society,” featured Bansuri Swaraj and Sasmit Patra, both Members of Parliament, alongside Sonal Mansingh. The session explored culture’s link to India’s social fabric, values, identity, and aspirations.A highlight was the unveiling of Rhythm of a Lifetime, an illustrated book on Sonal Mansingh created by school students. The project brought a younger generation into the celebration of her artistic journey and underlined the importance of passing traditions on.Mansingh called for a broader dialogue among artists, policymakers, and relevant ministries on how the performing arts can drive economic growth and how artists can be better supported. She argued that creativity cannot be separated from culture, since cultural roots give it its meaning.Culture in National PrioritiesThe first thematic session, “Culture as a Driver of National Development,” was moderated by Sampadananda Mishra, Director of the Centre for Human Sciences at Rishihood University. Panelists included Shyam Saran, former Foreign Secretary; Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary of IGNCA; Abhijit Gokhale of Sanskar Bharati; Anurag Bhadouria; Sachin Chaturvedi, Vice-Chancellor of Nalanda University; and Lily Pandeya, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Culture.The discussion looked beyond preservation to ask how culture can contribute to learning, community life, tourism, and India’s engagement with the world.Keeping Traditions Alive for Today’s AudiencesThe second session focused on how traditions can remain living and evolving while reaching wider audiences. Moderated by actor and Delhi Music Society President Sunit Tandon, it featured Rajeev Sethi, Paresh Maity, and filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri.Speakers examined the role of festivals, crafts, cuisine, performing arts, tourism, and digital platforms in building participation and demand for cultural experiences. Sustaining traditions, they noted, depends on giving people new ways to experience and engage with them.Building the Creative EconomyThe third session addressed the practical ecosystem that cultural practitioners and creative enterprises need. Moderated by Ramesh C. Gaur, it featured Mandavi Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Bhatkhande Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya; Jayesh Bhatia of Intellecap; costume designer and curator Sandhya Raman; and Rajan Navani, Chairman and Managing Director of the Jetline Group and JetSynthesys.Themes included professional skills, entrepreneurship, infrastructure, intellectual property, public policy, and investment. The core message: creative talent needs an enabling environment where skills can grow, enterprises can scale, and cultural work can generate sustainable livelihoods.
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