Colombo witnessed a night of music, nostalgia and celebration as the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka, together with the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC), hosted a grand live concert titled “Timeless Bollywood Melodies , Anuradha Paudwal Live in Colombo” on 23 January 2026 at the Nelum Pokuna Theatre. The event was organised to mark the 77th Republic Day of India, which falls on 26 January 2026.
The concert was attended by a distinguished gathering, including Santosh Jha, High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, and several senior Sri Lankan leaders and dignitaries. Among them were Minister of Health and Mass Media and Chief Government Whip Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa; Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe; Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Prof. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi; Minister of Fisheries Ramalingam Chandrasekhar; Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Sunil Kumara Gamage; along with the Deputy Speaker, Leader of the Opposition, Members of Parliament, former Presidents, JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva, senior officials, diplomats and invited guests.
The highlight of the evening was the soulful performance by legendary Indian playback singer and Padma Shri awardee Anuradha Paudwal. Often called the queen of Indian playback singing, she enchanted the audience with her timeless Bollywood classics, taking listeners back to the golden era of Indian cinema. Her rich and emotional voice created an atmosphere of warmth, nostalgia and celebration.
With a career spanning more than four decades, Anuradha Paudwal has sung thousands of songs in many Indian languages and won several major awards, including Filmfare Awards and the Padma Shri. Adding a special family touch to the night, her daughter, Ms. Kavitha Paudwal, also performed, symbolising the continuation of a proud musical legacy across generations.
The programme began with the national anthems of India and Sri Lanka, sung by the internationally acclaimed Sri Lankan Western classical duo, The De Lanerolle Brothers, Rohan and Ishan. Their powerful harmonies set a dignified and emotional tone for the evening. The Prashadi Dance Academy of Sri Lanka added colour and energy with elegant backing dance performances inspired by classic Bollywood styles.
More than a thousand guests from Sri Lanka’s defence and civil services, diplomatic corps, academia, business and media sectors, as well as members of the Indian diaspora and friends of India, attended the event. The enthusiastic response highlighted the strong cultural ties and deep people-to-people relationship between India and Sri Lanka.
The concert stood as a fitting tribute to India’s Republic Day, celebrating shared heritage, friendship and unity through the universal language of music.
