On 30 December, Aanya Thakur returned home (1603, ATS Greens 2) from Nepal with a medal and a ‘Talent Certificate’ after participating in the ‘11th Cultural Olympiad of Performing Arts
2022’ held between 26–29 December. She participated in the Junior Category of Group Repertory Style. More than 100 girls and boys of different Indian states and countries like China, South Africa, etc. had the opportunity to meet on a platform where music (vocal and instrumental), drama, classical and semi-classical dances and folk dances were performed. The organizing body Pune-based ABSS’s Global Council of Art and Culture is the official partner of UNESCO.
In the team of 16 persons, who left Delhi airport for Nepal on 26 December, it was Aanya’s first experience of international travel and on her own for 3 days. “It was an amazing independent exposure! I had to get up on my own and keep my belongings back in the bag… all that my mom took care of in our family trips,” she says.
Now what next, we asked. Aanya is clear in mind, “I want to explore in depth the culture and tradition of various Indian classical dances and what is specific to each. Hope to become a proficient dancer.” She is an inherent dancer. Seeds for this day were sown when she was five-and-half years and joined dance training in Bangalore. But soon the famil shifted to Noida. Its only one-and-half year back that she again started Bharatnatyam training under Rashmi Raut Jaiswal, an exponent and a stage performer.
Not only a dancer, Aanya is a national level skater. She learnt skating for 4 years. She won bronze medal in 2019 at the CBSE Skating Championship. For 4 consecutive years (2018– 21) she participated in Roller Skating Championship at the National Level.
Aanya is Class 7th student at Apeejay School, Noida. Back home, she had a good celebration with her parents, Himanshu Shekhar Thakur (father) and Dr Rachna Pandey (mother), and little brother Vihaan.
