More than 400 arts and culture aficionados, comprising Emiratis, Arabs, Europeans, Africans, South East Asians, and Indians, attended a spectacular summer performance of Indian classical dance presented by the Dubai-based performing arts and music academy NANDA by ISWARYA during the 4th edition of NANDA GOKULA on June 22, at Horizon International School in Dubai. The event, themed 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' (The world is one family), featured over 50 dancers from the UAE representing more than 10 Indian states, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra, Telangana, Maharashtra, Punjab, West Bengal, and New Delhi, showcasing renowned dance styles such as Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Mohiniyattam, and semi-classical. The performance was masterfully choreographed by Iswarya Bharadwaj, the founder of NANDA and a renowned Indian classical dancer who left her corporate career to devote herself entirely to the performing arts. Iswarya, a young pregnant mother, has graced over 500 stages across the UAE, India, the UK, and the US, earning more than 50 national and international accolades, including prestigious titles like Kalathilakam and Nritya Chaithanya. The recital was honored by chief guests Professor Peter Barlow, Executive Director of the Sharjah Performing Arts Academy, and Jitendra Vaidya, President of the Indian People’s Forum (IPF UAE), and was supported by IPF UAE, Karnataka Sangha Dubai, Trescon, Precision Metals, SR Group of Companies, Lucky Star Computers, Minds Ahead Academy, AutoSure, and SAR Events. In her address, Iswarya expressed her heartfelt thanks, stating, “I am truly fortunate to be nurtured in a country like the UAE, which is inclusive, tolerant, and cooperative, allowing me to disseminate Indian classical dance across various Emirates. Since 2017, I have staged numerous enchanting recitals, and NANDA GOKULA 2024 is particularly dear to me as we introduced novel concepts and honored diverse cultures through the prism of Indian classical dance.”