Nanded, Oct 13: With drought conditions prevailing in parts of Marathwada, Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University (SRTMU) has decided to celebrate its inter-collegiate youth festival, Dnyantirth-2026, with restraint, avoiding unnecessary expenditure and glamour.
Vice-Chancellor Dr Manohar Chaskar has appealed to organisers, participants and dignitaries to ensure that the four-day cultural extravaganza reflects social sensitivity and responsibility towards drought-affected communities.
The festival will be held at Nanded Education Society’s Science College in Nanded from October 16 to 19. The details were announced on Tuesday at a press conference held at the Swami Ramanand Teerth Smarak Sabhagriha of Nanded Education Society.
University urges restraint amid drought
Dr Chaskar has asked the organisers to avoid unnecessary decoration and expenditure on shawls and bouquets. He has also appealed to local judges and assistants to voluntarily return a portion of the honorarium paid to them to support the social initiative.
The university aims to use the cultural event to send a message that celebrations should not overshadow the hardships faced by people affected by drought.
Inaugural and concluding ceremonies announced
Nanded Collector Dr Rahul Kardile will inaugurate the festival at 11 am on October 16 at the main Sane Guruji stage. VC Dr Manohar Chaskar will preside over the inaugural ceremony, which will be attended by Nanded Education Society president CA Dr Praveen Patil, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Dr Ashok Mahajan, Marathi film actor Bharat Ganeshpure, Bhaurao Chavan Cooperative Sugar Factory chairman and university management council member Narendra Chavan, and society joint secretary Adv Pradeep Nagpurkar.
The concluding ceremony and prize distribution will be held at 11 am on October 19. Superintendent of Police Dr Nilabh Rohan, film actor Sayaji Shinde and Pro-Vice-Chancellor Dr Ashok Mahajan will attend the event, with Vice-Chancellor Dr Chaskar presiding. Nanded Education Society vice-president Adv Prafful Agrawal and secretary Shyaml Patki will also be present.
Competitions across 30 art forms
The festival will feature competitions across 30 art forms spanning music, dance, theatre, literature, fine arts and Maharashtra's folk traditions. Students from affiliated colleges will participate in events including classical and light music, instrumental performances, group singing, folk and classical dance, one-act plays, mime, debates, elocution, storytelling, painting, collage, poster-making, rangoli, photography, mehendi, clay modelling, powada, lavani, folk music and prabodhanatmak jalsa.
The main festival premises have been named Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Nagari, while the main stage will be known as the Sane Guruji stage. The other stages have been named after Nana Patekar, Shriram Lagoo, Pankaj Udhas and Smita Patil, recognising personalities associated with India's cultural and artistic landscape.
Elocution themes address contemporary challenges
The elocution competition will focus on four themes: “War Not, Buddha Wanted”; “The Harmful Effects of Drugs and Challenges Facing the Young Generation”; “Climate Change: A New Challenge to Human Existence”; and “Artificial Intelligence: A Threat to Human Existence”.
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The topics are intended to encourage students to engage with pressing social, environmental and technological concerns.
The university says the festival aims to provide a platform for students to discover and showcase their artistic abilities, develop leadership qualities and preserve Maharashtra's rich cultural heritage.
Director of the university's student development department Dr Rajpalsingh Chikhlikar, Science College principal Dr Laxman Shinde, director of the department of external education Dr Prakash Nihlani, festival secretary Dr Prashant Sutkar, joint secretary Dr Ashwin Borikar and PRO Ashok Kadam addressed a press conference and appealed to students to participate enthusiastically in the event.
