Bhubaneswar : The International Performing Arts Festival (IPAF) successfully organised its 9th edition, here on Saturday at Jayadev Bhawan.

The festival brought together distinguished guests, acclaimed artists, emerging performers, and students with hearing impairments for an inspiring evening celebrating India’s rich cultural heritage, artistic excellence, and inclusivity through performing arts.

Founded by cultural entrepreneur Shyam Pandey, Director of the International Performing Arts Festival, IPAF was established on 23 July 2015 at Tagore Hall, Ahmedabad.

The programme commenced with a captivating Hindustani classical flute performance by Pt. Abhiram Nanda and his group. A senior disciple of legendary flautist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pt. Nanda mesmerised the audience with his soulful rendition, accompanied on tabla by Biswa Ranjan Nanda and on pakhawaj by Soumya Ranjan Nayak.

The audience was then treated to an elegant Odissi dance presentation by acclaimed dancer Shayomita Dasgupta. Trained under eminent gurus, including the legendary Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, she presented Durga Stuti – JatajutaSamayuktam, celebrating the divine feminine energy of Goddess Durga through graceful movements and expressive storytelling.

One of the highlights of the festival was the heartfelt performance by students of Satyabhama Devi College for Hearing Impaired, Unit-6, Bhubaneswar. Through devotional and expressive dance presentations to “Mo Jaga Kaliare,” “Sajani Sajani Kala Chanda,” and “Satyam Shivam Sundaram,” the students demonstrated their artistic abilities and devotion, conveying a powerful message of inclusion and the ability of art to transcend barriers.

Under the guidance of Managing Trustee Ms. Niroja Laxmi Mohapatra, the college continues to encourage students through education, creativity, and cultural participation.

The festival also featured a vibrant presentation by young students of Saraswati Shishu Vidya Mandir, Rasulgarh, showcasing Odisha’s cultural traditions through Sambalpuri folk dance and a devotional bhajan performance.