New Delhi, April 2017
Shivani Wazir Pasrich (Chairperson, Commonwealth Society of India and Asia Representative, Royal Commonwealth Society) hosted a reception to launch The Commonwealth Cultural Forum on April 4 th , 2017 at the Vivanta by Taj – Ambassador along with Ms. Suman Gahlot in the capital. The evening began with 14 year old classical vocalist singing a piece.
Welcome remarks were delivered by Shivani Wazir Pasrich who launched the Commonwealth Cultural Forum. Mrs. Gill Caldicott from the British Council spoke extensively on the UK India Year of Culture. Ms. Elizabeth van der Valk and Mr. Nathan McKenzie of the Royal Commonwealth Society, London talked about Commonwealth Head of Governments Meeting 2018 and Queens Canopy project. A shradhanjali was done in memory of Indian classical vocalist, Kishori Amonkar by Vidya Shah and Meeta Pandit.
Kishori ji’s demise is an irreplaceable loss to Indian Classical music. The highlight of the evening was Ms. Sunaina Anand of the Partition Museum presented Shivani Wazir Pasrich with a certificate from the Limca Book Of Records recognizing Shivani’s contribution towards women’s empowerment. She conceptualised and presented the All Women’s Polo Match with national and international players organized by her.
The launch was attended by the High Commissioner of Cyprus: H.E Mr. Demetrios Theophylactou, High Commissioner of Malta: H.E Mr. Stephen Borg, Ambassador of Tunisia: H.E Mr. Nejmeddine Lakhal, Ambassador of Morocco: H.E. Mohamed Maliki, Ms. Elizabeth Van der Valk and Mr. Nathan McKenzie from the Royal Commonwealth Society, London, Mr. Peter Mann from Royal Commonwealth Society, Hong Kong, Padmashree Jawahar Wattal, Sitar maestro Shujaat Khan, German Culture Counsellor, Mr. Dietrich Graf van der Schulenburg, Mr. Amir Singh Pasrich, Managing Partner, I.L.A. Pasrich & Company, Lt Col Rajesh Pattu & Manisha Pattu, director of operations Taj – Mr. Rohit Khosla, Sanjay Singh of Tata Sons, Deepak Jolly of Coca Cola among others.
Gill Caldicott of the British Council said “2017 is the UK India year of culture and so we really welcome this new initiative from the Commonwealth Association to establish a cultural forum that will contribute to our shared aims of strengthening relations between our two countries”
Ms. Shivani Wazir Pasrich (Chairperson, Commonwealth Society of India and Asia Representative, Royal Commonwealth Society) said, “The launch of the Commonwealth Cultural Forum (CCF) has taken place on a day when India has lost one of our cultural icons, Kishiori Amolkar. The CCF will work to create platforms and opportunities to allow people to continue to connect by creating the worlds most powerful medium”
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