"India can prove its leadership in the field of cultural heritage on the global front as it has established its supremacy in science and technology," Irani said while lauding all the jury members for the awards, experts in the field of art and culture.
"Kala Utsav provides a national platform for expressing their artistic talents to those who lag behind because of the non-availability of such a platform despite having talent," she said.
She also thanked all the teachers, parents and state governments for inspiring and motivating students to participate in the programme.
She reiterated her earlier call to participants that they would go back imbued with a spirit of cooperation and brotherhood although they had come here to compete.
Paying homage to Bharat Ratna Pandit Ravi Shankar, whose death anniversary it is today, she said that dedication to the arts with the feeling of national integration -- as was displayed during Kala Utsav -- would be a true tribute to him.
