Paying tribute to Bharat Ratna Pandit Ravi Shankar on his 107th birth anniversary, an event titled Soul of India Through Music was organised at the Sant Gadge Auditorium of Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Academy. Stalwarts from the Indian classical music industry gave a musical presentation on the occasion.
The event opened with a Bharat Gaan, originally penned by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Singers Tejaswani Ingle, Mukta Chatterji, Rahul Awasthi, and Ashish Tiwari, along with their 25 students, performed a different version of the song.
The act was followed by a Sarod presentation by Aryan Chatterji. The grandson of Pandit Ravi Shankar was supported on tabla by Dev Narayan Mishra.
The highlight of the evening was a Triveni performance by Padma Shri Ronu Majumdar on flute, Padma Shri Tarun Bhattacharya on santoor, and Pandit Mysore Manjunath on violin. They were supported by Jyotirmoy Roy Chowdhury on tabla.
Bhattacharya, a student of Pandit Shankar, said, “We must hold more musical events in memory of the music legend. I am delighted to be a part of this Triveni performance in the musical city of Lucknow.”
Pandit Majumdar added, “It’s always a treat to perform in front of the knowledgeable audience of this cultural city. Performing in memory of such a music legend and with such talented performers is a treat.”
Lucknow-based singer Ashish said, “We have modified the patriotic Bharat Gaan originally penned by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. An anthem during India’s independence struggle, it instils a feeling for our country and fills everyone with patriotism.” Students and artists performed patriotic songs in tricolour attire.
The programme was organised by the Pandit Ravi Shankar Foundation, run by his nephew Navrang Chatterji, along with UPSNA. The academy’s president, Prof. Jayant Khot, along with vice-president Vibha Singh, director Shobhit Nahar, Birju Maharaj Kathak Sansthan vice-president Mithilesh Tiwari, and others, were present on the occasion.
