India International Centre to host its annual arts festival from Oct 10-14

New Delhi: The India International Centre (IIC) will host the 21st edition of its annual arts festival, The IIC Experience: A Festival of the Arts, from October 10 to 14.

This year’s theme, Sā-Vanitā: Thus, She Speaks, focuses on women’s voices, creativity, and leadership across disciplines, with a programme that spans talks, exhibitions, film screenings, performances and a food festival.

The five-day event will open with the exhibition Shunya—The Power of Zero on October 9, to be inaugurated by Vivek Aggarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Culture.

Veteran journalist and author Mrinal Pande will deliver the keynote address, followed by the festival’s formal inauguration on October 10 by IIC President Shyam Saran and a Bharatanatyam recital by Malavika Sarukkai.

Highlights include Diva: The Triumph of Woman in Opera by the

Neemrana Foundation, Stree Ratnas—a celebration of women composers, Malay dance performances by Kuala Lumpur’s ASK Dance Company, and a Hindustani vocal recital by Sniti Mishra. The festival will also showcase Nangiar Koothu: Emancipation of Ahalya by Usha Nangiar.

Curated film screenings under Women at the Centre, by filmmaker Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, will feature women-centric works from Indian and world cinema, including a special showing of Mike Pandey’s The Last Migration. Discussions will explore women’s roles in politics, media, architecture, and

grassroots activism, with speakers such as Palki Sharma, Aparajita Sarangi, and Reema Nanavaty.

A food festival, Celebrating Women Chefs, curated by Sourish Bhattacharyya and Pushpesh Pant, will present regional cuisines prepared by women chefs from across India.

The festival will also see the release of the IIC Quarterly (Autumn 2025) by NN Vohra, celebrating literature, cinema, and travel.