Mysuru: Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) campus came alive with music and dance on Monday as artistes from across the country assembled for the 38th All India Postal Cultural Meet.The five-day cultural extravaganza, being organised by the department of posts under the ministry of communication, and across multiple auditoriums at the university. The event was inaugurated by Jitendra Gupta, director general of postal services. He highlighted the department’s continued efforts to encourage and showcase cultural talent among its employees.Opening-day competitions were solo classical dance performances in junior and senior categories, including Kuchipudi and Kathak. Classical vocal contests in both Carnatic music and Hindustani classical music traditions were also held, alongside instrumental performances on the mridangam, flute, violin, ghatam, veena and nadaswaram.Addressing the gathering, internationally acclaimed violinist, Mysore Manjunath, spoke about the enduring bond between the postal department and the public, noting that post offices have long served as emotional links connecting families across distances. He observed that commemorative postage stamps documenting historic events remain lasting records of the nation’s journey and said the cultural meet continues to celebrate India’s artistic heritage. Emphasising the global appeal of Indian classical music, he credited sustained institutional support and the dedication of eminent artists, adding that music remains his “mother tongue”.Chief postmaster general of Karnataka Circle, K Prakash, said that while sports competitions display determination and sportsmanship, cultural contests create a unique enthusiasm by bringing people together through music, dance and percussion.Violinist, Mysore M Nagaraja, director of Bengaluru central postal region, V Tara, director of Karnataka Postal Circle, Sandesh Mahadevappa, and director of the Mysore postal training centre, Ashish Singh Thakur were present.
