G20 Summit: From Ravanahatha to Rudra Veena, ancient musical instruments to be played at special dinner tonight

The special dinner hosted by President Draupadi Murmu for G20 leaders on Saturday evening will witness a musical performance showcasing ancient classical instruments such as Ravanahatha and Rudra Veena.

The ceremonial dinner to be held tonight at the Bharat Mandapam venue of the G20 Leaders Summit in the national capital will celebrate the country's rich musical heritage – a mix of different styles of classical and contemporary music.

The performance of "Bharat Vadya Darshanam—Musical Journey of India", by the Gaandharva Aaradhyam group, will be showcased during the dinner hosted by President Murmu.

The 18th G20 Leaders Summit has brought together leaders from the world's 20 major economies

"The three-hour-long performance at the G20 special dinner during the special dinner will see ancient musical instruments like "Ravanahatha" to "Rudra Veena," as well as the tabla and piano being played," Minister of State Meenakashi Lekhi told ANI.

"We have the legacy of Hindustani and Carnatic music Specially abled artists will also perform at the dinner hosted by President Murmu. This would be a very proud moment for all of us," Lekhi said.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally welcomed global leaders and heads of State at the venue with handshakes and hugs.

Prime Minister Modi expressed confidence that the gathering of world leaders will chart a new path in human-centric and inclusive development

The theme of this year's G20 Summit, which is taking place under India's presidency, “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,” or “One Earth, One Family, One Future” - is drawn from the ancient Sanskrit text of the Maha Upanishad. Essentially, the theme affirms the value of all life—human, animal, plant, and microorganism—and their interconnectedness on the planet Earth and in the wider universe.

This is the first time that the G20 Summit is being hosted by India.

The countries taking part in the G20 Summit include Nigeria, Argentina, Italy, the AU (represented by Comoros), and South Africa. Bangladesh, the United Kingdom, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Egypt, Australia, the United States, Canada, China, the UAE, Brazil, Indonesia, Turkey, Spain, Germany, France, Mauritius, the European Union, and Singapore.