SDG 15: Life on Land | SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Institutions: Ministry of Culture
The 6th Nadi Utsav, organised by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) under the Ministry of Culture, will be held from 25-27 September 2025. The festival highlights rivers as both ecological lifelines and fundamental parts of Indiaβs cultural heritage, exploring their role in tradition, art, craft, folk narratives, and community practices. Over 300 research papers were submitted and 45 will be presented in a national seminar on βRiverscape Dynamics,β delving into changes and continuity in river ecosystems. Alongside academic discussions, the event includes documentary film screenings, exhibitions (art, photography, folk art), and performance arts that engage with historical and contemporary human-river connections.
The festival underscores the intersection of ecology, heritage, and community livelihoods - rivers are not just environmental assets but also cultural and economic ones. For policy makers, this suggests rivers need to be managed in ways that protect biodiversity, sustain cultural practices, support livelihoods (fisherfolk, riverine communities), and enhance ecological awareness. It also emphasizes the value of interdisciplinary research and local-level engagement in policy making for environmental conservation.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
How can river conservation policy better integrate cultural traditions, community knowledge, and ecological science to ensure both environmental sustainability and local livelihoods are preserved?
Follow the full news here: Rivers in focus as 6th Nadi Utsav opens on 25th September at IGNCA