Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania

Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC) Dar es Salaam of Indian Council of Cultural Relations(ICCR) under the aegis of High Commission of India, It was established in 2010. SVCC is located at 225, Toure Drive, Oyster, Dar es Salaam with facilities for classes, public performance.

SVCC conducts music classes for tabla, keyboard and Indian classical music at its premises and at partner organisations. SVCC also conducts yoga classes from Monday to Friday at Toure Drive and at partner institutions. Hindi language is also taught at SVCC on every Saturday/Sunday to interested students. The Hindi students perform on Hindi Day, World Hindi Diwas, Independence Day, Republic Day and other programmes organised by High Commission of India and SVCC.

Director, SVCC is the head of the Centre and apart from Director, there is one Teacher of Indian Culture (Yoga teacher) and one Tabla teacher deployed by ICCR for tenure of two years.

SVCC coordinates performances by artists and groups travelling from India to Tanzania under ICCR sponsorship. 2018 witnessed performances by cultural groups such as Sanskruti Dance Academy in November, Surmadhur Kalavrund in July and Karagam folk dance performance in January. ICCR & Indian government authorities have also hosted a number of Tanzanian cultural groups to India such as a 10-member Bujora cultural troupe from Mwanza in May 2018, one 13-member Safi Theatre group led by Pendapenda in February 2017 and National Dance group from Zanzibar in February 2018.

On 2nd October every year, SVCC organizes celebration of Gandhi Jayanti at the Mahatma Gandhi’s bust installed at the University of Dar es Salaam since 2014. In view of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, SVCC is coordinating a number of events across Tanzania, including a photo exhibition in January 2019 & outreach to at least 9 educational institutions.

For the last four years, SVCC has been celebrating International Day of Yoga. In 2018, it IDY was celebrated in Uhuru Stadium where more than 4000 yoga enthusiasts participated. SVCC also coordinated IDY events in 2018 in at least 8 town in Tanzania including Arusha, Mwanza, Tanga, Tabora, Dodoma, Morogoro, Mbeya, Iringa.

A large scale Festival of India, ‘Namaste Tanzania’ was organised through 18 performances by six cultural groups in 8 cities of Tanzania in October-November 2016, which received enormous appreciation across the country.

ICCR’s Chair at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) was established in 2017. Dr. Anand Kumar was appointed as the first ICCR Chair for a period of one year since November 2017 and that has been extended upto November 2019. SVCC coordinated in organising 2-day ICWA Conference in January 2018 in which scholars from 14 EAC & SADC countries participated.

SVCC participates in and supports cultural activities and programmes organised by the Indian cultural and community associations and other local festivals in Tanzania round the year. A quiz on Bharat ko Janiye was organised in which a candidate was selected from Tanzania and got second prize in India.

Director  Dr. Soumya Manjunath (Second Secretary)
(SVCC) Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre High Commission of India
Plot No. 310, (between Toure Drive and ChakeChake Road),
P.O Box 2684, Masaki, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Director Office +255-22-2602131, Mobile : +255-682-319013
SVCC Office : +255-22- 2602160/62
Email Address: diricc[dot]desalaam[at]mea[dot]gov[dot]in,
hoc[dot]desalaam[at]mea[dot]gov[dot]in
1. Mr. Sumit Kumar, TIC, 30.05.2022 to 30.04.2023
2. Mr. Surojato Roy, Tabla,(16.08.2022 to 16.07.2023)
3. Mr. Vishnu Mishra, Hindustani Vocal,(03.08.2022 to 03.07.2023)