PA/ 01/13 9 January 2013
Oz Fest reaches Jaipur
Oz Fest, Australia’s biggest ever cultural festival ever staged in India, is coming to Jaipur to further strengthen the bonds between Australia and India. Oz Fest will host two events in Jaipur on 10 January 2013, ‘The Argyle Pink Diamond Cup’ and ‘Pink Diamonds in the Pink City’.
“Oz Fest began in October 2012 and events have now been hosted in over 15 cities across India. Oz Fest is all about bringing Australia's spirit and its sense of adventure, innovation and craftsmanship to India. On 10 January we will be staging two unique and exciting events in Jaipur. The people of Jaipur will be able to watch Australians display their skill on the polo field, with the violin and through our wonderful rare pink diamonds,” said Australia’s Deputy High Commissioner to India, Dr Lachlan Strahan.
The Argyle Pink Diamond Cup will see an exciting contest of polo between the Western Australian Polo Team and the Royal Jaipur Polo Team for the inaugural trophy, designed by Indian jewellery retailer Nirav Modi. This is the first match in a series that will be played between the two sides, the second to be held in the Margaret River region of Western Australia later in 2013.
Maharaj Narendra Singh ji, the captain of the Royal Jaipur Polo Team, said, “I am delighted that Oz Fest is bringing Australia's music, sport and diamonds to my home city. We welcome the Western Australian Polo Team on their first trip to India and look forward to a long- running but friendly rivalry.”
Pink Diamonds in the Pink City is an evening for invited guests at the City Palace in Jaipur, featuring one of Australia’s finest young classical musicians, violin virtuoso Niki Vasilakis, and an exhibition of Nirav Modi’s heirloom jewellery pieces incorporating the rare Argyle pink diamonds from Western Australia.
“Diamonds are sacred to India and Argyle pink diamonds are symbolic to Australia and so we are excited to be able to showcase Australia’s finest export in this quintessential Indian setting” said Jean-Marc Lieberherr, Chief Commercial Officer for Rio Tinto Diamonds.
The two events reflect the strong ties between Western Australia’s Argyle diamond mine and the Indian diamond industry, Argyle’s pink diamonds and jewellery designer Nirav Modi, and Australia’s growing partnership with the Jaipur City Palace and the Royal Jaipur Polo Foundation.
The events are presented by Oz Fest, in partnership with the Royal Jaipur Polo Foundation, City Palace Jaipur, Argyle pink diamonds and Indian jewellery designer Nirav Modi.
Oz Fest is about building enduring relationships between Australia and India at all levels of business, sport, science and technology and the arts. It is the biggest Australian cultural festival ever staged in India. The Australian Government is working with 24 government, business, institutional and production partners to present over 100 events in 18 locations across India between October and February 2013. Oz Fest is the Australia International Cultural Council’s focus country program for 2012. For more information about Oz Fest visit: www.ozfestindia.com, www.facebook.com/ozfestinindia or follow us on twitter @OzFestIndia.
The Western Australian Polo Team comprises Greg Johnson, Matt Welsh, Tex Webster and Nick Bowen and the Royal Jaipur Polo Team comprises Maharaj Narendra Singh,
Angad Kallan, Major Ravi Rathore and Ranshear Singh.
Argyle pink diamonds are the most highly valued gems in the world known for their unique provenance, intrinsic beauty and extreme rarity. Argyle pink diamonds are mined in Western Australia and distributed around the world.
Nirav Modi is the exclusive distributer in India for Australia’s rare Argyle pink diamonds.
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For media enquiries, please contact:
Vartika Bassi Sethi, Program Officer - Media & Advocacy
Australian High Commission, New Delhi
Mobile: 8800092302, Office: 4139 9900 Ext 378, 4149 4478
More Information: www.ozfestindia.com