Padma Vibhushan Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia Inaugurates the Photo Gallery Honouring Legendary Musicians

Celebrating 90 years of Akashvani and in the run-up to the centenary of Radio Broadcasting in India in 2027, Akashvani today inaugurated ‘Swar Prerna Veethika’, a dedicated photo gallery celebrating the enduring bond between Akashvani and India’s legendary musicians. The gallery was inaugurated by Padma Vibhushan Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia at the Akashvani Rang Bhavan Auditorium, Akashvani Bhavan, New Delhi.

For nearly nine decades, Akashvani has served as the nation’s foremost public service broadcaster, preserving and promoting India’s rich musical heritage by taking the performances of legendary artistes to millions of listeners across the country. Conceived as a tribute to this enduring legacy, Swar Prerna Veethika honours eminent artistes who remained closely associated with Akashvani and were conferred with the country’s highest civilian honours. The initiative seeks to preserve their invaluable contribution to Indian music while inspiring future generations of artistes and music lovers.

In the first phase of the initiative, portraits of 20 distinguished music luminaries were unveiled. The gallery features Bharat Ratna awardees Vidushi M.S. Subbulakshmi (Carnatic Vocal), Pt. Ravi Shankar (Sitar), Vidushi Lata Mangeshkar (Playback Singing), Ustad Bismillah Khan (Shehnai), Pt. Bhimsen Joshi (Hindustani Classical Vocal) and Dr. Bhupen Hazarika (Folk Music). It also honours Padma Vibhushan awardees Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia (Bansuri), Ustad Amjad Ali Khan (Sarod) and Ustad Allauddin Khan (Sarod), along with Padma Bhushan awardees, including Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan (Sarod), Pt. Birju Maharaj (Kathak), Ustad Ahmed Jan Thirakwa (Tabla), Pt. Krishnarao Shankar Pandit (Hindustani Vocal), Vidushi Shanno Khurana (Vocal), Pt. Debu Chaudhuri (Sitar), Vidushi Sharan Rani Backliwal (Sarod), Ustad Sabri Khan (Sarangi), Pt. Rajan Mishra and Pt. Sajan Mishra (Hindustani Vocal), Ustad Asad Ali Khan (Rudra Veena) and Ustad Mushtaq Husain Khan (Hindustani Vocal).

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Gaurav Dwivedi, Chief Executive Officer, Prasar Bharati, said that the inauguration of Swar Prerna Veethika marks the first phase of Akashvani’s efforts to express its gratitude to legendary artistes whose immense contributions helped establish Akashvani as one of the country’s foremost cultural institutions. He said that portraits of more eminent artistes would be added to the gallery in subsequent phases and that similar galleries dedicated to distinguished local musicians would also be developed at Akashvani centres across the country.

Emphasising Akashvani’s enduring commitment to Indian music, he said that the public broadcaster has consistently nurtured diverse musical traditions by providing generations of artistes with a platform to showcase their talent while catering to the varied preferences of listeners. He added that Akashvani’s dedicated digital channels, ‘Raagam’ for Hindustani classical music and ‘Aaradhana’ for devotional music, are available round the clock on YouTube, News-on-Air app as well as on the WAVES OTT platform. He noted that Akashvani’s artistes have played a significant role in taking India’s rich musical heritage to audiences across the country and the world.

Addressing the gathering, Padma Vibhushan Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia described the occasion as a “homecoming”, recalling that his musical journey with Akashvani began through its Children’s Programme. Referring to Akashvani as a family that has nurtured generations of artistes, he expressed hope that this rich cultural tradition would continue to flourish and that the institution would keep receiving the love and affection of listeners across the country.

The occasion was further enriched by a captivating flute recital by Pandit Rupak Kulkarni, one of Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia’s most distinguished disciples. A leading exponent of the Maihar Gharana, Pt. Kulkarni is an internationally acclaimed flautist, recipient of several national and international honours, and a top-grade Artist of Akashvani. His soulful performance, presented in the presence of his revered Guru, was warmly appreciated by the audience.

The inauguration of Swar Prerna Veethika marks another significant milestone in Akashvani’s continuing efforts to preserve India’s rich musical heritage and honour the legendary artistes whose contributions have enriched the country’s public service broadcasting tradition.