Nita Ambani takes NMACC to New York, will showcase three-day cultural extravaganza at iconic Lincoln Center

Nita Ambani will bring a cultural spectacular to New York, bringing the colours and energy of India to the city’s historic Lincoln Centre. The Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) Weekend, which takes place from September 12 to 14, will feature Indian dance, music, fashion, art, and food.

“That was the time that the seeds of doing something for art and artisans took shape,” Ambani said, drawing inspiration from her own experience as a young Bharatanatyam dancer. She recalled how her family couldn’t afford a theatre, so she had to perform her arangetram in a temple.

Decades later, the NMACC founder and Reliance Foundation chairperson is now pursuing her ambition internationally. “We want to look at how we can place Indian arts and artists at the front and center of the world’s creative imagination, and there’s no better place than Lincoln Center,” she said. Adding, “Culture binds people together; it builds empathy; it teaches you to respect differences, respect other cultures. I feel at this moment the world needs it more than ever before.”

Grand Swagat, an exclusive opening night that includes a fashion presentation by designer Manish Malhotra and food prepared by chef Vikas Khanna, will kick off the three-day celebration. “NMACC is doing such an amazing job of making people understand India, and with her platform and her vision to bring India to the world, it’s absolutely an honour just to be a part of this,” Khanna said. Speaking about his work for the menu, he added, “The amount of research I did, I can easily get another PhD for that.”

Performances by classical musician Rishab Sharma, Shankar Mahadevan, and Shreya Ghoshal will be the weekend’s highlights. The festival will also feature five performances of Feroz Abbas Khan’s theatrical production, The Great Indian Musical: Civilisation to Nation.

A cricket panel, Bollywood dance classes with Shiamak Davar, yoga with Eddie Stern, and a Swadesh pop-up featuring Indian handlooms and crafts are all part of the public events at Lincoln Square’s Damrosch Park. For live performances, artisans are being sent in from India.

Lastly, Ambani said, “I’m really looking forward to bringing a slice of India and India’s 5,000 years of storytelling. We told our stories from our soul.” She also revealed, “I’m going to dance on the first night.”