Kennedy Center will use funds given by an Indian American couple to hold India-focused events

Washington's landmark cultural institution the Kennedy Center has got $1 million from an Indian American couple to create a fund for organising a series of Indian cultural events for some years.The money donated by Ranvir Trehan and Adarsh Trehan will be used to organise events on India's history, traditions, literature, music, dance and culture at the top American institution for performing arts."There is a need and desire for sustained India programming at the Kennedy Center for many years to come and I see this as a broad based effort by individuals both in the Indian-American community and others interested in Indian culture from foundations and MNCs," Ranvir Trehan said.

India's Ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna said the Trehans' initiative was "the encouragement that we need". "The Indian arts are at a very interesting phase... It surprises me constantly because we are all used to a certain vision of Indian culture, but if you now put on a new film or you see a new dance performance, you are always surprised because people are always crossing borders in different directions," Mr Sarna said.Kennedy Center chief Deborah F Rutter said it is important for the national cultural institution to bring international programming for its audience. The Kennedy Center has been working on ways to expand its international programming and the Trehans' gift will ensure these offerings on a more ongoing basis, he told India Abroad weekly.