Curtain falls on US-India cultural bridge as Kennedy Center shutters

The TOI correspondent from Washington: In an unprecedented crisis for American cultural diplomacy, the board of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC voted on Tuesday to shutter the iconic venue immediately, following a bitter legal battle over President Donald Trump’s demand to add his name to the national memorial. The shutdown, coming after what the administration says is mounting financial strain and structural concerns, puts the future of the country’s premier stage in limbo and delivers a profound blow to global artistic exchanges, including of celebrated artists from India.The board vote came hours after a judge issued a ruling reaffirming that only Congress holds the authority to alter the memorial's name or add new inscriptions to the building. In response, Trump publicly threatened to block a planned multi-million-dollar renovation unless the judicial ruling is overturned, leaving the flagship halls locked indefinitely.