On the pious occasion of Basant Panchami, Pt. Ravishankar Music Studio at Broadcasting House, Akashvani came alive to a special function, organized to mark the launch of a new radio programme series, ‘Har Kanthh Mein Bharat’, specially curated to showcase myriad shades of Indian Classical Music on the airwaves.
Jointly presented by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India and Public Service Broadcaster, Akashvani, this series will be broadcast at 9:30 A.M. simultaneously from 21 stations across India effectively covering almost all parts of the country, every day till the 16th of February, 2025.
The function formally commenced at 10:30 A.M., with a floral offering to goddess Saraswati, by the Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India, Shri Aruneesh Chawla, CEO, Prasar Bharati, Shri Gaurav Dwivedi, Director General, Akashvani, Dr Pragya Paliwal Gaur, Joint Secretary Culture, Ms Ameeta Prasad Sarabhai and Director General, Doordarshan, Ms Kanchan Prasad.
In her welcome address, DG, Akashvani, Dr Pragya Paliwal Gaur highlighted the celestial significance of the occasion of Basant Panchami this year, which symbolizes the rare confluence of Saraswati and Lakshmi, as the spring season ushers in. Enumerating the concept and the broadcast schedule of ‘Har Kanthh Mein Bharat’, she expressed the hope that this collaborative effort proves fruitful.
The series ‘Har Kanthh Mein Bharat’ was digitally jointly inaugurated by Shri Aruneesh Chawla and Shri Gaurav Dwivedi amid a standing ovation. In his special inaugural remarks, CEO Prasar Bharti highlighted the stellar, historical role of Akashvani, throughout the country, over the decades. He expressed optimistically that such a creative partnership could help new avenues blossom.
Performing art forms in the age of AI
In his keynote speech, the Secretary, of the Ministry of Culture listed minute details of the vision behind this collaboration. He referred to the various initiatives undertaken by the Ministry of Culture, and the need to conserve and preserve performing art forms in the present AI age. According to him, involving gen-next with such projects was a solution towards that end. He also remarked that the Ministry of Culture was looking forward to extrapolating this joint presentation.
Intermittently, there were live musical performances on stage. While Saraswati Vandana and a vocal rendition in Raag Basant held the audience spellbound, Raag Des played on the Sarod enthralled everyone present in the studio.
