Ind.igenous was once again invited to Impressions, the annual fest organized by the College of Engineering, Pune. After a very successful fifth edition which was held virtually in the winter of 2020 owing to the pandemic, Impressions returned this year in hybrid mode over three days in December, keeping alive their motto of ‘By the artists, for the artists.’ Ever since its inception, COEP has strived to build a rich, healthy environment celebrating the arts, and this year was no different. As I tuned in to their online events, seamlessly conducted over the virtual event platform Townhall, I was witness to a bouquet of beautiful performances by the students.
With events like Nrityangana, dedicated to Indian classical dance, and Saavani, their solo music competition, there was ample opportunity for the participants to showcase their talent, keeping their passion alive amid the rigorous coursework of an engineering college. Like last year, it was a delight to watch performances that kept alive the Indian art forms – especially in Nrityangana, where Kathak and Bharatnatyam emerged as the chosen dance form for most participants. Judges like Bharatnatyam dancer Shobana Bhalchandra, Indian classical vocalist Sandip Bhattacharjee guided the performers with their expertise.
‘Nurturing a diverse and avant-garde space to represent art and talent,’ as the student coordinators of the fest describe it, Impressions shall continue to fly high, just like it has successfully adapted through two pandemic years. It is events like these, organised by the youth of today, that shall keep the love for the arts alive in the hearts of millions.
