Kudumbashree is venturing into the cultural arena, after having accomplished success in the microenterprise segment. The organisation is in the process of forming a dedicated cultural wing. Named Rangashree, the new group of women talented in arts and culture, will be the performing arm of Kudumbashree in the days ahead.
A process is under way to select members who have excelled in various arts and cultural performances. Six teams are to be formed in the State, a senior official of Kudumbashree told The Hindu on Saturday. A single team will be formed for Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts and the selection process is in the final stages. There will be 15 members in the team, the official said.
The team will be trained so as to improve the standards of performance. Veteran performers will impart short-term training to the selected members.
Rangashree will perform at meetings of Kudumbashree as well as public functions. Public performances and street plays would mostly focus on social issues, intended to create awareness among the people on various social maladies. The cultural troupe could ultimately become a professional entity.
Kudumbashree has already published a book containing success stories of its members in various fields. The new cultural wing could draw ideas from those real life stories for weaving interesting episodes for the cultural performances. While the initial financial support would come from Kudumbashree itself, Rangashree would eventually explore opportunities for emerging as a self-sustaining entity.
With over 40 lakh members spread over 2.5 lakh neighbourhood groups, 19,000 area development societies, and 1,000 community development societies, there is no dearth of talent for forming a cultural wing for Kudumbashree. The success stories of Kudumbasree include projects in responsible tourism, market intervention to curb price rise, health and tribal welfare.
