Deepavali is an important event marked by Hindus which symbolises the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and hope over despair. In the days leading up to Deepavali, Singapore’s vibrant Indian arts scene celebrates the festivity of the holiday season. A major and world-renowned Indian performing arts company in Singapore is Apsaras Arts. Founded in 1977 by the late Mr S. Sathyalingam and Mrs Neila Sathyalingam from India, Apsaras Arts has brought numerous exciting productions to Singaporeans and beyond. In 2008, Apsaras Arts staged a play called Deepavali in Tekka which portrayed Deepavali celebrations in the Tekka area of Little India during the 1960s. For her contributions to the Singapore performing arts scene, Mrs Sathyalingam was awarded the Cultural Medallion in 1989 and inducted into the Singapore’s Women’s Hall of Fame in 2014.

In this festive time of the year, let us take a moment to honour arts veterans like Mrs Sathyalingam who have contributed much to Singapore’s cultural arts scene.

To learn more about Apsaras Arts, please click here.