Imphal, April 01: The President of India, Dr Abdul Kalam wants to have a Manipuri dance cultural troupe at the Rashtrapati Bhawan so that it can be shown to other dignitaries coming from other countries.

The Governor of Manipur, Dr SS Sidhu speaking the wish of the President while speaking during the 51st foundation day function of the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy here today.

The Governor said he was informed about the great interest of the President in Manipuri dances and was greatly impressed by what he saw when he visited Manipur.

The Governor said we should strive to make Manipur the cultural capital of India.

He said we should aggressively push forward in the interest of the artists.

He said he has seen Ras performances all over the country, but the Ras performance as shown in Manipur is incomparable.

He said the JNMDA established on April 1, 1954 with a donation of Rs 12,0007 from the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy, earlier called the Manipur Dance College, has been making rapid progress under the patronage or the Sangeet Natak Academy and has also been playing a vital role towards preservation, promotion and propagation of Manipur's distinct art and culture.

After the demise of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the Manipur Dance College was renamed as the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy to perpetuate the memory of its founder.

The people of Manipur have to express their gratitude to the late Prime Minister.

As everybody knows, Manipur has its own distinct art, culture, tradition and dance and music.

The cultural tradition of Manipur is as colourful as it is varied and the richness of its culture reminds one of the tapestries with myriad designs and colours, each pattern exquisite in itself.

Love of art and beauty is inherent in the people of Manipur and it is difficult to find a Manipuri girl who cannot either sing or dance.

Its own distinct art forms, cultural expressions and rich heritage provide a uniqueness to this "Jewel of India" - as acclaimed by Pandit Nehru himself.

In the above context, efforts made by various organizations for its preservation and promotion have to be encouraged and appreciated by all.

Culture and tradition are not merely admired and drawn upon but have to be studied in depth as a means for identification of a society.

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