The South Indian Cultural Association (SICA) inaugurated its 67th Annual Art Festival on October 28, 2025, at Ravindra Bharathi, Hyderabad. Founded in 1959, SICA is a renowned non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Carnatic music, classical dance, and other performing arts.
The inaugural evening marked a special occasion as Padma Shri Dr. Ananda Shankar Jayant was conferred the Natya Shiromani award by SICA, in the presence of Chief Guest Justice T. N. C. Rangarajan, SICA President Dr. S. Chakravarthy, and SICA Secretary S. Ranganathan.
“This is the first time SICA is presenting an award to a dancer, and we felt that Dr. Ananda Shankar Jayant is most deserving of this honor. She is a distinguished Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi dancer, a regular performer at SICA events, and a Padma Shri awardee,” said SICA Secretary S. Ranganathan.
The festival opened with the critically acclaimed Bharatanatyam production Tales from the Bull and the Tiger, choreographed by Dr. Ananda Shankar Jayant and presented by the Shankarananda Kalakshetra ensemble, featuring Bengaluru-based dancer Mithun Shyam in the lead role. The music for the production was composed by the late Shri Sattiraju Venu Madhav, with costumes and jewellery by Ganesh Nallari and Deepa Krishnamachari, lighting by Surya Rao, digital design by Gunjan Ashtaputre and English narration by Jayant Dwarkanath.
The 77-minute production was a taut presentation that transported the audience into the divine world of Shiva, Parvathi, and their children—Ganesha and Skanda—along with their vahanas, Nandi and Simha. Each dancer owned their character, living the role with remarkable precision and emotion. The choreography stood out for its uniqueness, scintillating dancing, and soulful music, all woven together into a seamless narrative. The well-known mythological stories were masterfully reimagined through movement, serving as a lesson in choreography. The audience, comprising art connoisseurs, dance critics, and distinguished guests, was left mesmerised and rose to their feet in a loud standing ovation.
The SICA Annual Art Festival will continue until November 4, featuring an impressive lineup of musical performances, and promises to be a must-attend event for Hyderabad’s art lovers.
