The 3-day annual cultural festival of the city-based PU concluded on a high note, captivating audiences with a mesmerizing showcase of talent, creativity, and cultural diversity. The event brought together students, faculty, and community members hailing from different nationalities and all states of the country and from 32 institutes of the university. This year’s cultural festival, Dhoom 2024, featured a vibrant array of dance performances, exhibition of products and artistic items from different corners of the world, fashion shows, and music performances showcasing the ultimate talent and potential of the students of the university.

The inauguration ceremony of the cultural festival saw an elaborate and stunning procession ceremony where students from all the states of the country and different countries came together to showcase their culture and tradition in its truest essence. National Film Award Winning Actor and Padma Shri awardee, Manoj Joshi graced the occasion as the Chief Guest bringing a touch of stardom and tradition to the event. From traditional dance performances to showcases of exquisite art, the attendees were treated to a rich tapestry of cultural experiences.

The festival truly showcased the creative talents of the students through various competitions and events such as dance, singing, fashion show, talent hunt, and exhibitions that allowed them to express themselves and show their artistic prowess. One of the major highlights of the fest was the & विरासत-ऐ-भारत & where students represented cultures and traditional art from all 28 states and 8 union territories of the country. International students also participated, hosting stalls that showcased the traditional items from vibrant countries of Mozambique and Mauritius. The 3-day competition-cum-exhibition saw a footfall of nearly 50,000 students and the stalls were judged on the basis of the best representation of the cultural history and traditions of the state or country. Students were also felicitated for the best cultural performances and crowned Mr. & Ms. Dhoom for their style, fashion, and stage presence.

The talented and wonderful starcast of the upcoming movie Madgaon Express - Nora Fatehi, Divyendu Sharma, Avinash Tiwari, and Kunal Khemu paid a visit to the campus during the day 2 of Dhoom to interact with the 15,000+ students present in the audience that day and promote their new movie. The stars took to the stage to talk with the students and perform some of their hit songs from the movie. “We’ve been on this promotion tour for a long time and this is the best crowd we’ve seen so far,” said Kunal Khemu, who has written and directed this movie.

The final and concluding day of the event saw a stellar music show and concert from renowned artists from across the country. The 9XM Nites event, hosted in association with 9XM - the popular Bollywood music channel, brought together several emerging and talented artists from different parts of the country who performed the soulful renditions of their songs and music. The headliner of the concert was the ultra-popular electronic music artist, Ritviz who performed some of his most loved and popular songs live in-concert for nearly 15,000 students.

“It is so wonderful to see the PU community come together to celebrate diversity, creativity, and the arts as it aligns. We are extremely proud of all the talented participants and artists who have made this event a resounding success,” said Dr. Parul Patel, Vice President of PU. This annual cultural festival of the university serves as a platform to promote cultural exchange, foster creativity, and celebrate the rich heritage of our community. With the conclusion of this fest, the university aims to continue the cultural exchange and enrichment by highlighting and paying homage to the diverse cultures on the campus and foster artistic excellence of the students for years to come.