The youth welfare department, Panjab University, in collaboration with the Association of Indian Universities, New Delhi, will be hosting a five-day 4th South Asian Universities Youth Festival (SAUFEST) from February 12, 2009, on its campus.

Over 175 artists from 22 South Asian Universities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Mauritius, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives and India will be participating in various disciplines during the festival.

The department spokesperson revealed the festival had been dedicated to the theme of promoting international peace and development. The youth festival would promote the active collaboration and mutual assistance among the South Asian countries in educational, social, cultural and economic fields.

The youth festivals are dedicated to the youth, as they symbolise courage, initiatives, exuberance and idealism.

Such festivals instill awareness and respect for our historical and cultural heritage in the youth, thereby inculcating in them a sense of pride and national identity, he added.

Youth cultural troupes from various South Asian countries will be participating, which will help in projecting the composite cultural heritage of the South Asian countries.

The Pracheen Kala Kendra today presented a Sufiana spell by young maestro, Neelay Khan, at its auditorium here today. The audience relished the splendour of mysticism.

Holding allegiance to the Patiala gharana, Khan, with postgraduation in music, has a distinctive style of singing, which is a blend of Sufi and traditional folk, interspersed with recitation of couplets relevant to the compositional theme.

After a reposeful alaap, He commenced the recital with an invocatory composition, “Sanson ki mala”, in a calm contemplative mood. As expected, this was followed by couplets of Bulle Shah and a bandish, “Abe tu jaan, na jaan”. He doled out the “Mainu ishq de rang wich rang sajna”. He depicted the anguish and the tormented psyche of Punjabi poet Shiv Kumar Batalvi while presenting his poems. After a few songs when he concluded his recital with a composition, “Ve ja tu bada harjai”, requests for more poured in. He obliged the audience with many ghazals.

He was accompanied by Manoj Kumar and Jolly on tabla, Amit Kumar on dholak, while Shanty and Sajjan provided him vocal support. Shobha Koser, registrar of the kendra honoured the artists.