The festival was inaugurated by renowned playback singer and actress Vasundhara Das in the presence of Kumari Shibulal, Founder of SFPI, S. D. Shibulal, Founder of SFPI as well as Co-founder and former Chief Executive Officer of Infosys, and Manjula Senthil, Program Director of Sangamam.
A total of 161 artists from different parts of India participated in the festival, presenting classical, folk and contemporary art forms through performances, masterclasses, workshops, exhibitions and interactive cultural experiences. The event was designed to preserve, promote and celebrate India's artistic traditions while creating meaningful opportunities for audiences to engage with diverse cultural expressions.
Sangamam Thaala Utsav 2026 featured four ticketed performances, two masterclasses, six interactive workshops, seven pop-up performances, ten art stalls, curated food stalls, a puppet installation and an interactive digital art experience. Three headline performances by Siddharth Belmannu, Laya Lavanya and Thaikkudam Bridge were completely sold out, reflecting increasing public interest in immersive cultural experiences.
Speaking after the successful conclusion of the festival, Kumari Shibulal said it was immensely gratifying to witness Sangamam Thaala Utsav grow into a vibrant platform that celebrates India's artistic diversity while bringing together artists, audiences and cultural enthusiasts from across the country. She stated that the organisation's vision has always been to preserve and promote India's rich artistic traditions while creating meaningful opportunities for future generations to experience them. She added that the overwhelming response to this year's edition has encouraged the organisation to continue strengthening the cultural movement.
Program Director Manjula Senthil said the response to every performance, workshop and masterclass had been extremely encouraging. She noted that audiences actively engaged with artists, explored different art forms and experienced Indian culture through interactive activities. She further stated that visitors had expressed a strong desire for many more such festivals and that the organisers looked forward to returning with an even larger edition next year.
The festival attracted participants not only from Bengaluru but also from several cities across India and international locations, including Singapore. Artists representing different regions of the country, including rural communities, participated in the event, reinforcing Sangamam's objective of making traditional arts accessible to wider audiences.
Adding to the celebratory atmosphere, Sangamam organised three lucky draws during each of the four ticketed performances. The prizes included a meal for two at Simmer by Lilac in Bengaluru, two-night stays at Rae by Tamara Guruvayur or Kumbakonam, and a grand prize consisting of a two-night luxury stay at Tamara Kodaikanal or Tamara Coorg.
Building on the success of the 2026 edition, Sangamam announced that the third edition of Sangamam Thaala Utsav will be organised on July 10 and July 11, 2027, at the Prestige Centre for Performing Arts in Bengaluru.
The Shibulal Family Philanthropic Initiatives, founded by Kumari Shibulal and S. D. Shibulal, has been working for more than twenty-five years through programmes focused on education, healthcare, organic farming and the arts. Through its cultural platform Sangamam, the organisation continues to preserve, promote and celebrate India's artistic heritage while supporting sustainable creative ecosystems and creating meaningful opportunities for artists, artisans and audiences to connect through culture. The successful conclusion of Sangamam Thaala Utsav 2026 further strengthened its role as a significant national platform dedicated to safeguarding and promoting India's diverse performing arts traditions.
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