UN partners Kerala's festival

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 16 (IANS) The United Nations will partner Kerala at a week-long Nishagandi Festival beginning here Jan 20.

'This is the first time that the UN is partnering an event in South India,' State Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told reporters.

The UN Cultural Dialogue on the promotion of Indian culture is partnering Kerala's festival, which is also called 'heart beats'.

'They have a project wherein they promote classical musicians who have spent long years in this profession. This time here, they will be sponsoring the famed vocalist Pandit Keshav Raghunath Talegaonker from Agra and his family who are all into music,' Balakrishnan said.

The festival would be a cultural extravaganza featuring various dance forms of the state and artistic wealth of India.