The Dada Lakhmi Chand State University of Performing and Visual Arts is a state public university located in Rohtak, in the Indian state of Haryana. Dedicated to the teaching, research and promotion of the performing and visual arts, it is one of the few universities in northern India devoted exclusively to disciplines such as music, dance, theatre, fine arts and allied creative fields. The university is named after Pandit Lakhmi Chand, the Haryanvi poet, folk dramatist and exponent of Saang folk theatre, who is widely regarded as the "Shakespeare of Haryana".
Key facts
| Name | Dada Lakhmi Chand State University of Performing and Visual Arts |
|---|---|
| Type | State public university |
| Location | Rohtak, Haryana, India |
| Named after | Pandit Lakhmi Chand |
| Focus areas | Performing arts, visual arts, fine arts |
| Jurisdiction | Government of Haryana |
Background
Haryana has a long-standing tradition in folk performance, especially through Saang, ragni and devotional music, and in the visual arts through regional craft and painting practices. The state government established the university to consolidate higher education in these creative disciplines under a single specialised institution, providing structured undergraduate, postgraduate and research programmes. Rohtak, an established educational hub in Haryana that already hosts Maharshi Dayanand University and other state institutions, was selected as the seat of the university.
Academics
The university is organised around faculties and departments covering the principal branches of the performing and visual arts. Typical areas of study at such institutions, and reflected in the university's mandate, include:
- Vocal and instrumental music, including Hindustani classical traditions
- Indian classical and folk dance forms
- Theatre arts and drama
- Fine arts, including painting, sculpture and applied arts
- Folk and regional arts of Haryana, with emphasis on Saang and ragni
The institution awards degrees and diplomas, undertakes research, and is empowered to affiliate or recognise programmes in its specialised domain within the state.
Significance
By naming the university after Pandit Lakhmi Chand, the state has linked formal arts education with Haryana's folk heritage, signalling an intent to preserve and academically engage with regional traditions alongside pan-Indian and global art forms. The university plays a role in:
- Documenting and reviving traditional Haryanvi performing arts.
- Producing trained artistes, teachers and scholars in the creative disciplines.
- Serving as a state-level cultural and academic platform for festivals, workshops and collaborations.
Administration
As a state public university, it functions under the Government of Haryana and is headed by a Vice-Chancellor, with the Governor of Haryana serving as the ex-officio Chancellor of state universities. Its statutory bodies typically include an Executive Council, an Academic Council and Boards of Studies for individual disciplines.
Related topics
- Dada Lakhmi Chand
- Saang (folk theatre)
- Ragni
- Rohtak
- Education in Haryana
- List of universities in Haryana
- Performing arts in India
References
- Wikidata entry: Q19898489 — state public university in Rohtak, Haryana, India.
- Government of Haryana, Department of Higher Education — list of state universities.