JAMMU: The Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, nominated Balwant Thakur as member of the National Empanelment Advisory Committee of Indian Council for Cultural Relations for a period of three years. This high powered committee is mandated to select and recommend the artists/groups for their performances world over.
This National Empa-nelment Advisory Committee will be above the seven sub committees of experts viz Theatre and Puppetry Traditional and Contemporary, Carnatic Music (Vocal and Instrumental), Hindustani Music (Vocal and Instrumental), Dance I (Odissi, Manipuri, Sattriya, Kathak, Chhau), Dance II (Bhartanatyam, Mohiattam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali) Modern Experimental Works of Dance and Music, including Light and Popular Music and Folk and other traditional forms of dance and music.
Earlier on two occasions Balwant Thakur has served as an expert in sub committees of theatre/puppetry and folk/traditional forms of music/dance/drama but this is for the first time that a person from J and K has been elevated to such a higher position.