Pune: The 37th edition of the Pune Festival, one of India’s most celebrated cultural extravaganzas, will be inaugurated on Friday, August 29, 2025, at 4:30 pm at Shri Ganesh Kala Krida Rangmanch, Swargate. The event will be presided over by Maharashtra Governor C. P. Radhakrishnan, with Union Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union MoS for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, and senior state ministers Chandrakant Patil and Shambhuraj Desai among the dignitaries.
A Festival of Culture, Art and Tradition
The festival, held from August 27 to September 6, coincides with Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav. This year’s programme features a rich lineup of events: the theatrical production Awara Hoon in homage to Raj Kapoor, the Japanese-Indian fusion Divine Confluence curated by Pandita Manisha Sathe, Kerala Mahotsav, Twins’ Gathering, Kavi Sammelans in Marathi and Hindi, Naradiya Kirtan Mahotsav, Sangeet Saubhadra, Indradhanu, and competitions in Lavani, classical and folk dance, music, makeup artistry, and photography. Exhibitions will showcase Warli art, works of eminent cartoonists, and paintings of UNESCO-recognised forts.
Sports and Competitions
Athletic vigour will complement the cultural richness, with contests in golf, boxing, dirt track racing, mallakhamb, skating, chess, carrom, and bodybuilding. Sporting events will be held at multiple venues across Pune, with all programmes free for public participation.
Honouring Icons and Traditions
The 37th edition will also pay tribute to six legendary artists, Manik Varma, Shrinivas Khale, Madan Mohan, O. P. Nayyar, Salil Chowdhury, and Jaymala Shiledar, with a musical homage. In keeping with tradition, the Lifetime Achievement Award will be conferred on Dr. Shivajirao Kadam and Dr. P. A. Inamdar, while the Pune Festival Awards will honour playwright Dr. Satish Alekar, cricketer Kedar Jadhav, Maharashtra Kesari Prithviraj Mohol, agriculturist Dnyandev Kamathe, and entrepreneur Supriya Badwe. The Jai Ganesh Puraskar will be awarded to Naidu Ganpati Mandal of Rasta Peth.
Highlights of the Inaugural Ceremony
The opening evening will feature shehnai maestro Tukaram Daithankar, Bharatanatyam by Arundhati Patwardhan’s Kalavardhini group, folk and cultural presentations by artists from Assam, Sikkim, Kerala, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, as well as Mallakhamb demonstrations. A Kathak–Lavani jugalbandi choreographed by Nikita Moghe will conclude the evening.
Special Programmes
Other major attractions include the 26th All India Mushaira on August 30, featuring poets from across the country, and Awara Hoon, a grand theatrical celebration of Raj Kapoor’s centenary on August 31. On September 1, the festival will present Divine Confluence, an Indo-Japanese dance fusion with global art forms.
Legacy of the Festival
Established in 1989 by MP Suresh Kalmadi under MTDC, the Pune Festival has since grown into a national cultural landmark, hailed as the “Mother of All Festivals.” Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi was its first President, while Padma Shri Hema Malini continues as its Patron.
