HYDERABAD: The Sindh Agriculture University (SAU), Tandojam, will host the ‘Thar Festival 2025’ in the first week of February with the aim of showcasing rich cultural heritage, unique artifacts and agricultural achievements of the Thar region.

The festival would provide a platform for intellectual, literary, cultural and musical exchanges and would be a vibrant celebration of Thar’s diversity and potential, an SAU spokesperson said.

A delegation from Thar Students Council, led by Shankar Singh Sodho, met SAU Vice Chancellor Dr Fateh Marri to finalise the plan.

The spokesperson said that the festival would feature a series of academic discussions, cultural performances and exhibitions designed to highlight the region’s history, geography and agricultural innovations. Key features include research presentations on Thar’s history, geography, minerals and agriculture, shedding light on untapped potential of the region.

Exhibitions would display agricultural innovations, cultural artifacts, organic produce and crafts, offering visitors a closer look at Thar’s unique contributions to Sindh’s cultural and agricultural landscape.

Renowned Sindhi singers and sufi music artists from the region would present their soulful musical and artistic expression. The VC spoke on significance of Thar, calling it ‘pride of Sindh’.

“Thar is not just a region, rather it is a jewel that holds immense historical, cultural and agricultural value,” he said.

He added that there was tremendous scope for research and development in these areas. He called for exploring marketing of Thar’s organic agricultural products and their by-products as a means to boost local economy and improve livelihoods of the region’s people.

Dr Mohammad Ismail Kumbhar, Director University Advancement, underscrored the importance of events like Thar Festival to foster collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and innovation among academia, students and broader community.

Members of the visiting delegation included Sobharaj Singh Sodho, Mohammad Rafiq Rahimoo, Asad Ali Rahimoon, Tanveer Ali Khoso, Rafiq Amin, Shahid Ali Dars and Zafar Samoo.

Published in Dawn, December 7th, 2024