The National College of Arts warmly welcomed a distinguished delegation of Sikh Yatris with a programme that celebrated the college’s heritage. They were shown a documentary on NCA’s legacy, followed by an archival film honouring the contributions of Sikh students from the Mayo School of Arts era. The music performance by our students from the faculty of Performing Arts offered the Yatris a powerful insight into the cultural and enduring bond between NCA and the Sikh community.

Prof. Dr. Iram Zia Raja, Dean of the Faculty of Design, hosted the event with heartfelt warmth and dedication, ensuring the delegation felt truly valued. The highlight of this gathering was the presence of Punjab’s Minister for Minorities, Sardar Ramesh Singh Aurora, as the guest of honour. He welcomed the delegation and spoke on the importance of interfaith harmony and cultural unity, underscoring NCA’s commitment to inclusivity and respect among diverse communities.

During the event, Sardar Gayan Singh on behalf of Gurdwara Deshmesh Darbar Sahib, communicated the commitment for generous donation of PKR one million to the college as seed money for a film project on Bhai Ram Singh, an artisan from Amritsar who designed and worked on the Durbar Room at Osborne House in the 1890s. Additionally, another lady from the delegation contributed PKR 50,000 to support this cause. The sincere welcome extended to the Sikh delegation exemplified NCA’s role as a bridge between communities, strengthening ties that reach beyond borders.

In his opening remarks, Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Murtaza Jafri, expressed deep appreciation for the Sikh community’s enduring connection with NCA. He emphasized that “art has no boundaries, it builds peace and love,” values at the very core of NCA’s mission and legacy.