The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) will host the 52nd edition of its annual cultural festival, Saarang 2026, on campus from today, January 8 to January 12.
The fest, which is one of the country’s largest student-run cultural campus events, will likely attract more than 80,000 visitors from across India.
This year, Saarang will carry the theme "Beyond Realms", and will transform the IIT Madras campus into a cultural arena, featuring competitions, exhibitions, workshops, and musical performances, The Hindu reports.
Attendees can engage in both new and revived flagship events, including a non-competitive performance cluster and the ‘Nova Experience Zone’, designed as an open-access space inspired by early-2000s pop culture.
The festival will also see the return of the Saarang Parade and the Saarang General Championship, promoting sustained inter-college engagement.
A major highlight of Saarang is its Professional Shows lineup, where renowned artistes will headline each night. Performers include guitarist Prasanna, rock bands Avial and Skrat, rapper Brodha V, singer Sid Sriram, and India's first girl group Wish.
An international World Fest will run alongside these events, presenting free daytime concerts with artists from countries including Italy, Denmark and Finland.
Alongside entertainment, Saarang continues its social outreach through the annual ‘Kalaa’ campaign, which supports traditional artisans and underprivileged communities. The initiative has partnered with grassroots organisations to run awareness sessions and markets for handmade products, raising funds to bolster handicraft projects.
The festival also includes a Spotlight Lecture Series, featuring prominent personalities from cinema, music and popular culture, such as composer GV Prakash, actress and comedian Sivaangi Krishnakumar, choreographer Kala Master, and playback singer Khareshma Ravichandran.
The institute has further announced that renowned art director and Padma Shri awardee Thota Tharani will be the Chief Guest of Saarang 2025.