Tehrik-e Niswan performs at UoH
It was a mesmerizing performance by the artists at the India Pakistan Culture Connect for Union of Hearts programme at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) on 14th February 2014 in the DST auditorium. The group performed Kathak, Bharatnatyam & Odissi on Indian & Pakistani Poetry and Plays which was premiered at the University.
The packed audience consisting of students, faculty and staff from the UoH and other institutions in the city were kept glued to their seats by some powerful and message oriented performance by the artists and dancers. The performers were part of Tehrik-e Niswan (The Women’s Movement) that is formed in 1979 in Karachi which is trying to create awareness about women’s rights, and to change the moral, social, patriarchal attitude towards women through the medium of the performing arts.
The performances at UoH included Jung Chahiye Ya Aman: A play by Koshish; Where the Mind is without Fear: Poetry of Tagore Bharatanatyam; Kafir: A play based on Ismat Chughai’s short story; Sindhi Jhoomar: A folk dance. The performers at the programme were Ms. Sheema Kermani (well-known classical dancer, choreographer, activist for women’s rights and peace movement); Anwar Jafri (senior theatre practitioner in Pakistan), Saima Hayat (Researcher and journalist), Atif Hayat (Human Rights, Minority Rights and Peace activist), Zahra Batoolis (theatre actor), Dawood Samson Bhatti (actor and dancer with Tehrik), Sehrish Bhatti (Theatre actor and teacher), Sumaira Shezhad (dancer and theatre actor), Aisha Maqsoodis (student, dancer and theatre actor), Mohd. Asif (trained dancer proficient in Kathak and folk dances of Pakistan), Haris Khan (student and theatre actor).
The Culture Connect for Union of Hears programme is being organized by Confederation of Voluntary Associations (COVA) and the Centre for People’s Foreign Policy in South Asia in association with Tehrik-e Niswan, South Asia Partnership and PILER-Pakistan.
Chief Guest for the programme Prof. Ramakrishna Ramaswamy, Vice-Chancellor, UoH expressed his happiness at the event being held at the University for the benefit of the students, staff and faculty. Later he felicitated the artists.
After the performances in Hyderabad on 15 and 16 February 2014 the group will travel to New Delhi and perform there on the 18 and 19 February 2014.