On May 14, 2012, HE Mr. Ajai Malhotra, Ambassador of India to the Russian Federation, inaugurated an exhibition of line drawings and sketches, “Dances of India – Aakruti” by Raghav Raj Bhatt, at the Embassy of India, Moscow, as part of the commemoration of the 65th anniversary of the establishment of India-Russia diplomatic ties.

The evening began with the lighting of the lamp by Ambassador Malhotra, renowned Indologist Prof. Rostislav Rybakov, eminent artists Mr. Vladimir Anisimov and Dr. Manas Roy, and Mr. Raghav Raj Bhatt. This was followed by a dance presentation, “Divine One”, dedicated to Lord Ganesha and choreographed for the occasion by Raghav Raj Bhatt, which featured five Indian classical dance styles – Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam and Odissi.

In his remarks, Ambassador Malhotra applauded the multifaceted and versatile talent of Mr. Raghav Raj Bhatt, who was equally adept at performing Kathak dance, teaching Indian classical dance, choreography, and line drawing. He highlighted the skill and creativity of the sketches, which enabled one to immediately recognize and appreciate the dance form depicted by just a glance at the drawing. He warmly congratulated Raghav Raj Bhatt on his art work, commended him for also doing some sketches of Russian ballet, and aded that he looked forward to more such exhibitions.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Vladimir Anisimov and Dr. Manas Roy both praised Raghav’s creativity, especially the minimal use of lines in his drawings. Mr. Raghav Raj Bhatt shared his feelings with the audience, recalling in particular the contribution of his father Late Shri Gopal Raj Bhatt in grooming him in various fields like dance, music, drawings and paintings. He also remembered his association with eminent scholar Dr. Jiwan Pani and his Guru, Pandit Birju Maharaj. He thanked Ambassador Malhotra for the opportunity to display his works at the Embassy of India. The evening concluded with a Reception hosted by Ambassador Malhotra.

Moscow
May 14, 2012

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