Celebrating Kumar Gandharva: A Two-Day Musical Tribute in Dewas

The Cultural Department has initiated a two-day event in Dewas, commemorating the legacy of the renowned music sage, Pt. Kumar Gandharva. The festival will witness participation from some of the country’s most celebrated artists.

The event, organized by the Ustad Allauddin Khan Music and Arts Academy under the aegis of the Cultural Department, in collaboration with the District Administration and the Municipal Corporation of Dewas, is being held at Malhar Smriti Mandir. The inauguration is set for 7:00 PM, to be officiated by the State Minister of Culture and Tourism, Dharmendra Singh Lodhi. Notable attendees include MP Mahendra Singh Solanki, MLA Gayatri Raje Pawar, District Panchayat President Leela Ataria, and Mayor Geeta Durgesh Agrawal among others.

The highlight of the festival will be the awarding of the National Kumar Gandharva Award to Sudha Raghuraman from New Delhi, a respected vocalist. The event will commence with her performance. Following her, there will be a flute and tabla duet by Tejas and Mitali Vinchurkar from Mumbai. The next day's proceedings will start with Santoor recital by Shantanu Gokhale from Pune, followed by a vocal performance by Shubhada Paradkar from Mumbai, and will conclude with a sitar performance by Neeladri Kumar from Mumbai.

Accompanying artists for the event include Pawan Sem, Hitendra Dixit, Manoj Patidar, Yashwant Vaishnav on tabla, MV Chander Shekar on mridangam, G. Raghuraman on flute, and Deepak Khasrawal and Upkar Godbole on harmonium. The festival promises a rich display of India’s classical music heritage, accessible to all as entry is free.