Akshata Murty attends rehearsals for UK-India cultural exchange dance event, daughter Anoushka prepares for performance

NEW DELHI: Akshata Murty, wife of former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, attended the rehearsals for the upcoming dance event ‘Samarpanam – A Dance Offering’ in New Delhi on Thursday.

The event marks a unique cultural exchange between India and the United Kingdom, where 15 to 20 young British students, aged 11 to 16, have travelled to India to participate in a week-long Kuchipudi dance program. The initiative has been organised by the Arunima Kumar Dance Company (AKDC) in collaboration with the British Council India.

The program is scheduled for Friday evening, October 24, with Sudha Murty as the Guest of Honour.

While speaking during the rehearsals, Akshata Murty said she was happy to be in India during the festive season and appreciated the effort behind this exchange.

She said, “First of all, it’s so nice to be in New Delhi during this festive season, and this community of girls that AKDC has brought here is very special because a lot of them have been studying under Arunima for almost a decade. Some of them have learnt a lot about Indian heritage, Indian culture, Indian mythology, and even Sanskrit shlokas, and this is what I would say is a capstone event this week.

“And tomorrow, of course, there’s a performance, but to do it here at the British Council—a big supporter of arts and culture in India, yet with ties to the UK–it’s quite meaningful. I think programmes like this encourage people to understand one another, whether they are from the UK or India. So I’m very excited to be here and support that,” she added.

The event also holds special significance for the family, as Akshata Murty’s daughter, Anoushka Sunak, will perform on stage. Anoushka has been learning the Kuchipudi dance form under the guidance of renowned dancer Arunima Kumar.

Speaking about her daughter’s excitement ahead of the performance, Akshata said, “She is very much looking forward to it. She has performed on other stages in the UK, but this is her first time in India, alongside her friends, who are all very much looking forward to it.”

The initiative, ‘Samarpanam – A Dance Offering’, aims to celebrate the shared cultural bond between India and the UK through classical dance and the exchange of traditions. Over the course of a week, the young dancers experienced Indian heritage, visited local landmarks, and trained with experienced artists.

Talking about AKDC, it was founded by renowned Kuchipudi dancer Arunima, who has led over 3,000 performances in more than 50 countries and trained over 250 students worldwide. She has brought Kuchipudi to some of the world’s most iconic stages, from Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street to the European Parliament and Sydney Opera House. Arunima has also pioneered the use of dance in hospitals, prisons, schools, and care homes as a tool for empowerment, healing, and inclusion. (ANI)