Rang Kabir: Seminar and Cultural Festival
(11–13 September 2025)
Organized under the joint aegis of Sant Kabir Academy, Department of Culture, Government of Uttar Pradesh, and the Department of Languages, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, Swami Vivekanand Subharti University
Day- (11 September 2025)
The three-day cultural and academic festival Rang Kabir: Seminar and Cultural Festival commenced on 11 September 2025 at Satyajit Ray Auditorium, Swami Vivekanand Subharti University, Meerut, organized under the joint auspices of the Sant Kabir Academy, the Culture Department of Uttar Pradesh and the Language Department, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences of the university. The event is dedicated to celebrating the philosophy, poetry, and cultural significance of the saint-poet Kabir, whose timeless verses continue to inspire humanity across centuries.
Objectives of the 3 Day Event:-
- To revisit and recognize the importance of Sant Kabir Das Ji’s teachings in the modern age.
- To understand the significance of the Indian traditional ethos.
- To reconnect with the heritage of harmony and peace of India.
The inaugural session began with the arrival and a warm welcome of the dignitaries. The proceedings opened with a diya lighting ceremony. A formal welcome address was delivered by Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, Prof. (Dr.) Pramod Kumar Sharma who emphasized the relevance of Kabir’s teachings in today’s fragmented world. He noted that Kabir’s message of harmony, equality, and truth transcends boundaries of caste, creed, and religion, and it is essential for nurturing a humane society.
Following this, Mr. Atul Dwivedi, Director of Sant Kabir Academy, introduced the vision and objectives of the festival. He highlighted that the event aims not only to revisit Kabir’s profound spiritual philosophy but also to foster dialogue between literature, music, and the performing arts as channels for transmitting his universal values.
A remarkable highlight of the opening session was the theatrical presentation Kabir Kahan directed by Sushma Sharma from Prayagraj, staged at 03:45 PM. Through her evocative performance, her team presented Kabir’s mystical insights and social critique in an engaging dramatic form. The performance received a warm response from the audience, setting the tone for the confluence of scholarship and art that the festival promises.
The event was further graced by addresses from eminent dignitaries. Dr. Raghuraj Singh, Hon’ble Minister of Labor and Employment, Uttar Pradesh, reflected on the enduring importance of Kabir’s philosophy of labor, dignity, and self-reliance. He observed that Kabir’s emphasis on honest work and ethical living is particularly relevant in today’s economic and social context.
Shri Dharmveer Prajapati, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent charge) Home Guards and Civil Defense, Uttar Pradesh, addressed the gathering. He acknowledged the role of cultural events such as Rang Kabir in strengthening the moral and spiritual foundations of society. He further emphasized how Kabir’s poetry, with its focus on devotion and simplicity, continues to offer direction to people navigating modern complexities.
The inaugural day also included felicitation of guests and the release of the festival’s concept note. The session concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by the esteemed Dr. Seema Sharma, Convener and Head Of Department of the Department of Languages, who expressed gratitude to the dignitaries, participants, and organizing committees for their contributions.
The first day of the festival was marked by an atmosphere of reverence and cultural vibrancy. The blend of academic reflection, artistic expression, and ministerial insights offered a holistic beginning to the three-day celebration. The inaugural day not only paid homage to Kabir’s timeless message but also reaffirmed the commitment of institutions and government bodies to keep alive the rich cultural and spiritual heritage of India.
As the audience dispersed after the closing note at 05:30 PM, the anticipation for the following sessions grew stronger, promising deeper engagements with Kabir’s philosophy through seminars, discussions, and cultural performances in the coming days.
Day -2 (12 September 2025)
The Sant Kabir Academy, Department of Culture, Government of Uttar Pradesh, and the Department of Languages, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Swami Vivekananda Subharti University, Meerut, jointly organized a three-day Rang Kabir: Seminar and Cultural Festival from September 11–13, 2025. The second day of the festival, held on September 12, 2025, at the Satyajit Ray Auditorium, Swami Vivekananda Subharti University, was marked by an engaging blend of intellectual exchange, cultural performance, and scholarly reflection on the timeless teachings of Sant Kabir.
The day’s proceedings began PM with the warm welcome of distinguished guests. This was followed by a Welcome Speech by esteemed Prof. Sudhir Tyagi, Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, who highlighted the significance of Kabir’s philosophy in the present era and its relevance for bridging cultural, social, and spiritual divides.
The first session commenced with Sant Kabir: Kashi Se Magahar Tak presented by Shri Suresh Sharma from the Theatre Training Center, Kanpur. His insightful address traced Kabir’s spiritual journey, exploring the deep socio-religious implications of his movement from Kashi to Magahar, and underlining Kabir’s enduring message of equality, simplicity, and devotion.
This was followed by a mesmerizing Kathak composition titled Kabir Yatra by Ms. Ranjana Naib, a renowned Kathak artist, who beautifully wove rhythm, gesture, and expression to narrate the mystical journey of Kabir’s life and thought. The performance captivated the audience and added an aesthetic dimension to the festival.
The Chief Guest, Shri Srichand Sharma, Hon’ble Member, Legislative Council, U.P., then addressed the gathering, commending the organizers for their efforts to bring Kabir’s legacy alive through such a multidisciplinary platform. He emphasized the importance of reviving and celebrating Kabir’s teachings in contemporary times marked by social complexities.
Major General (Dr.) G.K. Thapliyal, Hon’ble Director-General of Swami Vivekananda Subharti University, appreciated the confluence of scholarship and culture in the event. Taking the audience on a journey through the Darshan or Philosophies in medieval India, he lauded Kabir’s philosophy as a source of moral strength and inspiration for the youth, urging continued academic and cultural engagement with Kabir’s works.
The program further included the distribution of souvenirs to mark the occasion and honor the participants.
The day concluded with a heartfelt Vote of Thanks by Dr. Seema Sharma, Convener and Head, Department of Languages, who expressed gratitude to the dignitaries, speakers, performers, faculty, and students for their valuable contributions. The session formally ended with the collective rendition of “Vande Mataram”, filling the auditorium with patriotic fervor.
The second day of Rang Kabir thus stood as a meaningful celebration of Kabir’s universal teachings, blending intellectual deliberation with artistic expression, and strengthening the bridge between tradition and modernity.
Day -3 (13 September 2025)
Grand Valedictory Session of the Three-Day ‘Rang Kabir Festival’
“Kabir’s thoughts remain guiding lights even today” – Atul Dwivedi
Meerut: Swami Vivekanand Subharti University, Meerut, in collaboration with the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Department of Languages, and Sant Kabir Academy (Department of Culture, Government of Uttar Pradesh), successfully concluded the three-day festival “Rang Kabir: Seminar and Cultural Festival” with a grand valedictory session. The event, held from September 11 to 13, 2025, at Subhartipuram, Meerut, celebrated the timeless philosophy of Saint Kabir through lectures, discussions, and cultural performances.
The valedictory session was graced by Mr. Atul Dwivedi, Director, Sant Kabir Academy, Prof. (Dr.) Sudhir Tyagi, Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Prof. (Dr.) Pintu Mishra, Dean, Faculty of Fine Arts, Prof. (Dr.) Sokindra Kumar, Dean, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Dr. Seema Sharma, Head, Department of Languages.
Speakers underlined the relevance of Kabir’s teachings in contemporary society. The highlight of the closing ceremony was the staging of the renowned play “Kabira” by eminent playwright Harishchandra Awasthi (popularly known as Raja Awasthi), recipient of the Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. The play vividly brought Saint Kabir to life on stage, immersing the audience in his words, ideas, and philosophy.
In his presidential address, Mr. Atul Dwivedi remarked that in today’s world, filled with materialism, restlessness, and desires, the teachings of Kabir must reach every individual. He commended the efforts of Subharti University in collaboration with Sant Kabir Academy, stating that such endeavors are indeed laudable and will one day yield results beneficial to humanity. He further observed that the spirit of education, service, culture, and nationalism cultivated among students at Subharti reflects the promise of India’s return to its stature as Vishwaguru.
Delivering the vote of thanks, Dr. Seema Sharma, Head, Department of Languages, emphasized that the festival was not limited to students and faculty of Subharti University but was a broader effort to awaken society and spread Kabir’s philosophy. She urged everyone to take forward this mission of social and cultural awakening.
As a mark of honor, distinguished guests were felicitated with mementos presented by Prof. (Dr.) Sudhir Tyagi, Prof. (Dr.) Pintu Mishra, Prof. (Dr.) Sokindra Kumar, and Dr. Seema Sharma.
The festival also witnessed the gracious presence of eminent academicians and intellectuals, including Prof. Usha Kiran, Former Head, Department of Fine Arts, Meerut College, Meerut; Mr. Somdatt Sharma, Former Deputy Director, Directorate General of All India Radio, New Delhi; and Prof. Anil Rai, Dean, International Relations (Humanities and Social Sciences) and Senior Professor, Department of Hindi, University of Delhi.
Among the distinguished attendees were Prof. Seema Bushra, Prof. Shashiraj Tewatia, Prof. Rajeshwar Pal, Dr. Rafat Khanam, Dr. Manisha Luthra, Dr. Swati Sharma, Dr. Nishi Raghav, Dr. Preeti Sharma, Dr. Ranveer, Dr. Ashish Deepankar, Dr. Ritesh Chaudhary, Dr. Santosh K. Gautam, Dr. Preeti Singh, Dr. Nisha Singh, Dr. Durvesh Pundeer, Prof. Pankaj Kishore Mishra, Dr. Indraneel Bose, Tarun Jain, Dr. Anshu Kumar Singh, Prof.Umesh Kumar, Eng. Guru Keservani, Soni Chauhan, Bhavna Joshi, Pragya Dixit, Shruti Sharma, Abhijit Sharma, along with heads of departments, teachers, research scholars, and students from various faculties.
The three-day festival, blending scholarship and cultural expression, concluded with a resounding message that Kabir is not merely a medieval saint-poet but a timeless thinker whose teachings continue to guide humanity with moral vision, social harmony, and universal values.
