Mega youth fest from Nov 4

The University of Mumbai will host a mega Inter-University Cultural Youth festival on the eve of its 150th-year celebration ceremony.

Called Indradhanushya’06, the festival has attracted not only the student fraternity, but also illustrious ex-students like Vivek Oberoi, singer Vaishali Samant and Sudhesh Bhosale.

“We could achieve our dream of making a name in the film industry through the youth festivals organised in those days in our colleges. Being an ex-student of the university, we could procure an opportunity to be a part of the signature tune prepared for the cultural festival,” said singer Vaishali Samant.

The three-day event from November 4-6 at the university-affiliated Patkar College will have 15,000 participants from 19 universities.

Indradhanushya 06’ is the brainchild of chancellor of the university and also the Governor SM Krishna.

“We will seek financial support from non-governmental organisations, corporate houses and the city exceeding the budget of the mega event to Rs 60 lakh. Various competitions on music, dance, theatre literary and fine arts will held under a roof through the three-day cultural festival,” said Vinayak Dalvi, deputy secretary (Education), office of the Governor of Maharashtra.

Students from the JJ School of Arts will draw up portraits of state ministers and gift them as a part of mementos during the festival.

“It’s a double delight for Chikitsak Samuha, the management of Patkar College, which will complete its 100 years along with the university’s sesquicentennial year. It’s the first time that a University has bestowed the responsibility of organising the fourth Maharashtra state inter-university cultural youth festival upon a college,” said UC Mashelkar, principal of Patkar College.