Richa Das showcases India’s story before the world

Bengaluru

For Richa Joanita Das, the applause that echoed through Glasgow's OVO Hydro on August 2 was about much more than a flawless Bharatanatyam perfor mance. It was the culmi nation of years of devotion to classical dance and an opportunity to tell India's story before a global au dience — one that left her convinced that the country is ready to host the next Commonwealth Games with confidence and flair. The Bengaluru-based Bharatanatyam artiste was among 120 dancers chosen to represent India's diverse artistic traditions during the handover segment at the closing ceremony of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Bringing together Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Bhangra and several other dance forms, the performance served as India's cultural invitation to the world ahead of the centenary Common wealth Games in Ahmed abad. A moment to treasure For Richa, Founder and Artistic Director of KALAR PANE, the occasion carried a deeply personal sig nificance. She was one of only two Bharatanatyam dancers from Bengaluru selected by the Shiamak Davar Dance Academy for the prestigious performance. 

"Representing India and my hometown Bengaluru on a stage like the Commonwealth Games is a moment I will treasure for ever," she says. "To share the stage with more than 120 artistes from so many dance traditions, and to carry Bharatanatyam to a global audience, is exactly the kind of offering to the art form that KALARPANE stands for." What television viewers witnessed as a seamless 20-minute spectacle was, for the performers, the result of weeks of disciplined rehearsals and teamwork.

Richa recalls that the preparation became as memorable as the performance itself. "The rehearsals were such a fun process, and Shiamak is the sweet est, most kind director we could have had. From him I learnt that true leader ship comes with kindness, love and care. Our show managers and instructors, Prashanth and Tejas, made rehearsals so much easier and so much fun."Heritage on display The India handover seg ment unfolded as a carefully choreographed cel ebration of the country's heritage.

Actress and former Miss World Manushi Chhillar led a theatrical tribute marking 150 years of Vande Mataram. This was followed by a unique musical dialogue between sitar virtuoso Rishab Rikhiram Shar ma and Scottish piper Ross Ainslie, symbolising friendship between cul tures. The finale saw Shan kar, Siddharth and Shivam Mahadevan, joined by Gujarati playback singer Bhoomi Trivedi, present an energetic musical celebration of Gujarat, the future host state.

For Richa, however, one moment stands above all others. "It was a moment of pride and joy. I got chills when the song 'Lehra Do' began during the third act while we were performing. It felt like a huge privilege to dance on that stage before athletes from countries around the world. Having your audience, the athletes themselves, almost at arm's length was an honour." That close in teraction with athletes from across the commonwealth transformed the performance into something larger than entertainment.

Every movement, expression and rhythm became a statement about India's civilisational depth, artis tic excellence and cultural confidence Over to Ahmedabad As the world watched the sym bolic handover from Glasgow to Ahmed abad, India's message extended beyond music and dance. It was an assurance that the country possesses not only the infra structure to stage a sporting spectacle, but also the cultural richness to make it un forgettable.

The presentation demonstrated the remarkable diversity that defines India. Classical traditions stood com fortably alongside folk rhythms, contemporary choreography blended effortlessly with centu ries-old art forms, and performers from different regions came together as one ensemble. It was diversity presented not as a slogan but as a lived reality. For Richa, the expe rience reaffirmed the enduring relevance of Bharatanatyam on the global stage.

Trained for more than 15 years under gurus Parsh wanath Upadhye, Shruti Gopal and Adithya P.V. at the Upadhye School of Dance, she has per formed across India and overseas, including at the opening ceremony of the Men's Hockey World Cup and during a tour of Italy. Yet the Commonwealth Games offered an entirely different scale of visibility and responsibility. Back home in Benga luru, where she mentors aspiring dancers through KALARPANE, Richa hopes the experience will inspire young artistes to dream beyond conventiona performance spaces.

International sporting events, she believes, are not merely platforms for elite athletes; they are also stages where culture be comes a nation's ambas sador. As Ahmedabad pre pares to welcome the Commonwealth family, the images from Glasgow have already offered a glimpse of what lies ahead. Behind the lights, music and choreography stood dedicated artistes whose performances carried the hopes of a nation. For one Bengaluru dancer, it was the fulfil ment of a lifelong dream. For India, it was a grace ful reminder to the world that when the Games ar rive on its shores, they will be celebrated not only with world-class sport ing competition but also with the warmth, colour, diversity and timeless cultural heritage that have always defined the country.