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Iti Nritya Finalists

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Venu Ayachit 

Srijayini Ghosh

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Shubhatrayee Satwe

About Iti Nritya

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Lord Brahma says: I give you the fifth veda Nāțyashāstra – replete with śāstra (knowledge/ text), śilpa (art/ craft) and itihāhsa (legends, stories, myths).

There is nothing that is not found in nātya, it is the imitation of life and its learnings.

Valley of words is beginning with a new vertical Iti Nritya. It will be a platform for upcoming dancers of all Indian classical dance forms to showcase their performances on our stage.

 

Why we do it

  • To encourage young upcoming dancers

  • To spread awareness about our rich intangible art form – dance

  • To create an informed audience

 

How we do it

  • Giving and opening to young dancers to apply

  • By selecting three artistes from all over the country to perform on our stage

  • Creating an archive of the presentations for everyone to view

Invitation

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Dear Ma’am / Sir,

Greetings from the ninth edition of Valley of Words: International Literature and Arts Festival. Over the past eight successful editions, our festival has been dedicated to celebrating the diversity and richness of Indian literature and arts. In the past three years, we have broadened our scope to include Iti Nritya, a unique platform that celebrates the classical dance traditions of India.


Iti Nritya is an initiative aimed at nurturing and supporting emerging Indian classical dancers by providing them with opportunities to perform and showcase their talent. Open to dancers aged 18 to 25, the competition embraces a wide array of classical dance forms, including Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Manipuri, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam, Kathakali, Odissi, Sattriya, and Chau. Since its launch in 2022, Iti Nritya has established itself as a prestigious platform, bringing together talented young dancers from across the country.

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Past Highlights:

  • In 2022, four extraordinary dancers were selected:

    • Nirmuktha Arun (Mohiniattam, Pallakad)

    • Isha Nanal (Kathak, Pune)

    • Vikiraj Kadale (Bharatanatyam, Pune)

    • Prashita Surana (Kuchipudi, Ahmedabad)

  • In 2023, three brilliant performers took the stage:

    • Srijaini Ghose (Mohiniattam, Kolkata)

    • Shubhatraye Satwe (Kathak, Pune)

    • Venu Ayachit (Kuchipudi, Ahmedabad)

  • In 2024, during our 8th edition, we witnessed captivating performances from:

    • Sandip Kundu (Kuchipudi, Kolkata)

    • Kirti Kurande (Kathak, Pune)

    • Ratri Manik (Manipuri, West Medinipur)
       

You can watch these exceptional performances on our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/@ValleyofWords by searching Iti Nritya.

Invitation to Iti Nritya 2025: Call for Nominations

As we prepare for the ninth edition of Valley of Words, we are thrilled to announce that Iti Nritya 2025 will take place on the 25th and 26th of October, 2025, in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

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We cordially invite your esteemed institution to participate by submitting entries of talented classical dancers from your institution. Selected performers will have the honour of showcasing their art during the festival's plenary session, which will also be broadcast on YouTube and Facebook.

Before applying, we kindly request you to review the competition guidelines available on our website to ensure compliance with the rules.

 

Important Dates:

  • Entries Close: 31st August 2025

  • Finalist Announcement: 10th September 2025

  • Festival Live Performances: 25th and 26th October 2025
     

For all queries and submissions, please reach out to us strictly via email at itinritya@valleyofwords.org. Further details, including competition rules and updates, are available on our website: https://www.valleyofwords.org/iti-nritya. We eagerly look forward to your institution’s participation and to celebrating the vibrant cultural heritage of India through this unique initiative.


Warm regards,
Shalini Rao
Convener, Iti Nritya 2025

Concert Rules

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  • There is NO ENTRY FEE for participation in the competition

  • It is a solo dance competition

  • Ministry of Culture (Govt. of India) recognized dance forms are eligible for this competition – Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Mohiniattam, Odissi, Sattriya, Chau

  • Age group: 18 to 25

  • A video of a full item/piece (not less than 5 minutes) either performed on stage or performed during practice is necessary to get qualified. The piece should include both abhinaya and nritta. You may upload a link on YouTube or google drive and send the clip to us. The video has to be current or taken in the past 3 months.

  • Last date of submission of the links is August 31st 2025

  • CV of the artiste along with proof of age should be submitted along with the video link (copy of Aadhaar card/ school leaving certificate)

  • Selected artistes will get a chance to perform at the festival to be held in Dehradun or associated venues.

  • Valley of Words will cover the travel and accommodation expenses for shortlisted artistes only, ensuring their journey to and from the festival, along with a certificate of appreciation.

  • Pre-recorded music must be used for the performance

  • The entries will be evaluated on the basis of abhinaya, technique, creativity and performance

  • Our selection panel reserves the right to disqualify entries 

  • The selection by the judges will be final and binding and no correspondence regarding the judgement shall be entertained.

  • When choosing the shortlisted artiste, the judges will select the entries which in their combined wisdom are the best in terms of set standards followed globally. Ethical practices will be strictly adhered to from the moment the entries are received

  • The artiste needs to provide the travel documents (flight/ train tickets) for reimbursement after their arrival at the festival venue

  • The reimbursement shall be done on the site and not in advance

  • The selected artiste will be entitled to a room for two and may have someone accompany them, but Vow will not entertain the travel claims of the accompanying person

  • All the details should be mailed to itinritya@valleyofwords.org  latest by 31st August 2025

  • Any entries received after the above stated timeline will be deemed to not be submitted. However, the VoW Foundation Trust reserves the right to extend the closing date of the competition

  • It is clarified that proof of posting a submission is not proof of receipt by the VoW Foundation Trust. The Trust will not accept any responsibility for submissions that are delayed or misdirected prior to receipt.

  • Iti Nritya 2025 is a physical event. The Short-Listed Entrants will only be eligible if they attend the VoW 2025 physically

  • However, VoW has the discretion to modify the event to a virtual/online format based on the prevailing circumstances. In case the event is modified to a virtual/online format, the Shortlisted Entrants will be informed expeditiously

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REC- VoW Book Awards 2025!

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