Governor P C Alexander presided over the function at the nth hour; history though, as encapsulated in the plaque leading to the marble stairway of the auditorium will record that President K R Narayanan did the honours. In his address to the audience comprising, industrialists, theatrepersons and musicians, Alexander declared that ``I have had the opportunity to visit many an opera house in Europe and America, but this theatre can claim to be better than any in the world.'' He added, ``Even today, we cannot say that we have enough space to meet the demands for hosting cultural shows. With the addition of this complex, we can hope that a large part of the demand has been adequately met.''

The Rs 40 crore dream, with a proscenium stage and a seating capacity of 1,150, will be available for Western and Indian music, plays and other performing arts. Part of the design is an orchestra pit as well as a provision to add three extra front rows, which takes the seating capacity up by 200.

Jamshed Bhaba -- brother of nuclear scientist Homi Bhaba -- said, ``The theatre has been completed against all odds. Just some days ago, some friends who dropped in said it would never be completed in time. But when the cause is good, we should not take no for an answer.''

Added the NCPA's Deputy Chairperson S A Sabavala, ``The construction of the theatre is a truly swadeshi effort, entirely by Indian architects and contractors.'' The theatre has been built by Patel, Batliwala Manohar and Associates.

The inauguration was followed by a performance by flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia, and then a concert by the 40-member Northern Sinfonia Orchestra from the UK.