Research
In recognition of SANKALP’s contribution towards promoting culture and development, the Planning Commission, Government of India had entrusted SANKALP with a research project titled “Promotion of Diversity of India’s Cultural Expressions- An Impact Assessment Study of Central Sangeet Natak Academy (SNA)’. The broad objective of the study was to critically assess the role of the Central Sangeet Natak Academy (SNA) as the nodal autonomous central government agency in promoting, propagating and disseminating the diversity of India’s cultural expressions.
The study proposed to assess the adequacy and efficacy of the structural, functional and schematic settings and role of the SNA in addressing the larger issues of facilitating the enhanced awareness, understanding and knowledge of the importance of the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions as human experience, human aspiration and human development through diverse modes of artistic programmes, policies, creations, disseminations, distributions and participations as well as in fostering a national order based on sustainable development, peaceful co-existence and inter-cultural dialogues; with participation of multiple stakeholders.
The role of the SNA in creating greater awareness, understanding and knowledge among the younger generations of the positive values of cultural diversity as a common heritage of humanity, both for the present and the future generations were also to be explored; as children, adolescents and young people have a larger role as the assimilators, agents, catalysts, promoters, and beneficiaries of culturally-appropriate and locally-relevant human sustainable development.
The other specific objectives of the study included;
- To find out the effectiveness and efficacy of the outlined mandate, programmes & activities of the SNA in promoting India’s vast and varied cultural plurality, traditions, ethos;
- To study the structural and schematic functioning of the SNA, both as the central nodal unit and its spread over to State-level constituents and the specialised affiliated bodies;
- To assess the adequacy of the present organisational and functional responses of the SNA in meeting the growing needs, with regard to promotion of the cultural plurality and regional traditions of the country; and
- To provide an integrated set of suggestions and recommendations for appropriate revamping, rejuvenation and revitalisation of the SNA to meet its original mandate, and to accommodate the emerging and changing areas of cultural interventions.
The present study was based on primary source of data through questionnaires and structured interviews. A detailed questionnaire has already been sent to the SNA for eliciting its responses to its structural, functional and schematic role.
Separate set of questionnaires had been developed and sent to the senior artists and art critics as well as the participating and non-participating artists to elicit their diverse critical assessments on the functioning of the SNA in retrospective and perspective.