ICCR director-general Suresh Kumar Goel and (right) art, culture and youth affairs principal secretary Anjani Kumar Singh in Patna on Thursday. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Art enthusiasts in the state have a reason to rejoice with Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) announcing the inauguration of its 19th regional centre at Punaichak in the capital on Saturday.

“Chief minister Nitish Kumar and council president Karan Singh will inaugurate the centre,” ICCR director-general Suresh K. Goel told reporters here on Thursday.

Once the ICCR regional centre starts functioning, the artists from state will get an opportunity to exhibit their skills both at the national and international level.

ICCR is the cultural arm of the external affairs ministry and promotes cultural exchanges with other countries. The primary objective of the council is to promote the diverse culture of India across the world and vice versa.

“The Patna centre of the ICCR will be its 19th unit in the country and will help artists from Bihar to showcase their talents across the world,” Goel said.

Though the government had decided to set up the ICCR centre in Patna when Kanti Singh was the Union minister of state, it took five years for the project to materialise. “Forget about the past. If things are happening now, it should be appreciated. Let’s not look into the reason for the delay,” Goel said.

The ICCR has lined up a series of programmes in Patna in the next three days. On Friday, the ICCR would organising a seminar, ‘Civilisation Dialogue between India & ASEAN’, that would be attended by ASEAN member countries. The seminar and the exhibition will be inaugurated by the chief minister and the ICCR president.

Art culture and youth affairs department principal secretary Anjani Kumar Singh said: “The seven sessions of the seminar will address various facets of interaction between India and ASEAN, giving both scholars and audiences a chance to revisit and relive the dialogue and traditions from a fresh perspective.”

An exhibition of work by painters from ASEAN countries will also be held at a city hotel.