New Delhi. Indian music can soon be heard in Indian airports and flights. Usha Padhi, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, has written a letter to Indian airlines and airport operators in this regard. The Indian Council of Cultural Research (ICCR) had requested the ministry to play Indian music on flights and airports operating in the country.
The joint secretary wrote, ‘The music played in most airlines around the world is the quintessence of the country to which the airlines belong. For example, jazz on American airlines or Mozart on Austrian airlines and Arab music on Middle Eastern airlines. But Indian airlines seldom play Indian music in flight. Whereas, our music has a rich heritage and culture and it is one of the many things that every Indian is proud of.
ICCR is an autonomous organization of the Government of India, which works under the Ministry of External Affairs. On 23 December, the organization had requested Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia to promote Indian music in flights operated in India. Rajya Sabha MP and ICCR President Vinay Sahastrabuddhe had submitted a letter in this regard to Scindia last week. The Union Minister had visited the ICCR Headquarters on 23 December, where several suggestions were made, including the promotion of Indian music on Indian flights.
Many artists including Anu Malik, Kaushal S Inamdar, Malini Awasthi, Shaunak Abhisheki, Manjusha Patil K, Sanjeev Abhyankar, Rita Ganguly and Wasifuddin Dagar were present in the meeting held on 23 December. All of them also signed the letter given to the ministry. In the letter given by ICCR, grief was expressed over not playing Indian music in the airlines.
Ahead of the 75th Independence Day, civil aviation had asked private and government airlines to provide information about freedom fighters in their announcements. In 2019, Air India celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi by making a picture of Mahatma Gandhi on some ships.
