Sonipat: The Shallu Jindal Performing Arts
Academy was inaugurated at O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) as a
major new academic and cultural facility dedicated to advancing performing arts
education, artistic research, and public cultural engagement within a
multidisciplinary university environment.
Conceived
as a purpose-built space for performance, pedagogy, and cultural exchange, the
Academy features a proscenium stage, advanced acoustic design, tiered seating,
and integrated gallery spaces. It will host performances, exhibitions,
workshops, and interdisciplinary collaborations, serving students, faculty,
visiting artists, and the wider community, while reinforcing the role of the
arts in higher education.
The
inauguration ceremony was graced by eminent Kuchipudi exponents and
Padma Bhushan awardees Dr. Raja Reddy, Dr. Radha Reddy, and Dr. Kaushalya
Reddy, alongside Ms. Shallu Jindal, Chairperson, Jindal Foundation and
Mr. Naveen Jindal, Chancellor of JGU.
Dr.
Raja Reddy highlighted
the importance of institutional platforms for classical arts, noting that
dedicated academic spaces play a vital role in preserving India’s artistic
traditions while preparing future generations for disciplined and meaningful
creative practice.
Ms.
Shallu Jindal said
that the Academy reflects the belief that artistic practice contributes to more
reflective, empathetic, and harmonious societies and expressed hope that the
space would inspire students to engage deeply with discipline, creativity, and
service.
Mr.
Naveen Jindal, the
Founding Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University, emphasised the
role of the arts in holistic education. He said that universities must nurture
not only intellectual excellence but also cultural and artistic sensibilities,
and that the Academy strengthens JGU’s commitment to nation-building through
education, culture, and creativity.
Professor
(Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, the Founding Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global
University,
elucidated that the Academy is named in recognition of Ms. Shallu Jindal’s
long-standing contribution to the performing arts, cultural philanthropy, and
institution-building. Through her work with the Jindal Foundation and other
initiatives, she has supported education, health, rural development, and the
promotion of traditional arts across India. This will pave way for JGU
launching a new School of Performing Arts with programmes in music, dance,
theatre and other performing arts courses with strong emphasis on experiential
learning.
The
Shallu Jindal Performing Arts Academy forms part of JGU’s broader cultural and
academic infrastructure and complements existing teaching facilities and the
Jindal International Convention Centre (JICC), which hosts international
academic conferences, cultural programmes, and public engagements. Together,
these facilities strengthen the University’s vision of integrating academic
inquiry with cultural expression. Designed by Mr. Stephane Paumier, his
architectural vision has given this structure its distinctive character. Spread
across the landmark building’s several floors, the Academy is dedicated to
nurturing artistic excellence and cultural expression. It features a
1,000-seater state-of-the-art auditorium and twenty-four galleries for hosting
wide-ranging performances, exhibitions, and other creative explorations.
With
the launch of the Shallu Jindal Performing Arts Academy, O.P. Jindal Global
University reinforces its commitment to embedding arts and culture within
higher education, positioning the University as a space where creative
practice, scholarship, and public engagement advance together.
The
concluding remarks at the landmark event were given by Professor Dabiru
Sridhar Patnaik, Registrar, JGU, who said, “The inauguration is a historic
moment and the beginning of a cultural legacy for the entire JGU community, as
the arts strengthen the spirit and elevate humanity.”