Akhand in Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India
Pracheen Kala Kendra, Chandigarh, the premier organization dedicated to the promotion, preservation and dissemination of Indian classical art and culture since its inception in 1956, will hold Convocation of the successful students of Visharad and Bhaskar final of the session 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 belonging to the state of Orissa on Sunday, January 3, 2010.
To be inaugurated by Shri Debi Prasad Mishra, Hon’ble Minister for Higher Education, Tourism and Culture, Government of Orissa, the Convocation will take place at Jayadev Bhawan (Soochna Bhawan), Bhubaneswar from 11:00 a.m. onwards. This was announced by Mr. Sajal Koser, Secretary and Mrs. Shobha Koser, Registrar of the Kendra while addressing a Press conference at Hotel Sishmo here today.
Mrs. Shobha Koser said that there has been significant growth in the activities of the Kendra not only in the Eastern region but so also all over the country as a result of which 2,42,511 students appeared in our different examinations in the session 2008-2009 out of which 17,707 students appeared from nearly 300 affiliated centres spread throughout Orissa state. As many as 477 candidates examined for Visharad and 55 for Bhaskar examinations and the pass percentage is 90.90 and 85.53 respectively.
At the Convocation successful students of Visharad and Bhaskar courses will be awarded diplomas while meritorious candidates will be presented a medal and a certificate of merit. Mr. Sajal Koser further added that the Kendra has a pan-India presence with nearly 3700 centres propagating and upholding Indian music and fine arts. It has prominent standing outside India as well, including USA, Canada, Britain, Singapore, Mauritius, Dubai, Kuwait, Nepal, Bangladesh, etc.
Dr. Devdas Chhotray, Vice-Chancellor, Ravenshaw University, Cuttack will be the Chief Guest of the Convocation while Prof. Malabika Ray, eminent litterateur will deliver the keynote address.
The Kendra, besides awarding diplomas, will also honour two eminent personalities namely Smt. Parasamani Devdasi, Temple singer at Shree Jagannath Temple and Smt. Manimala Devi, noted Theatre and Cine artist for their outstanding contribution in their fields of specialisation. They each will be felicitated with a cash award of Rs. 11000/-, a shawl, a citation and a memento.
The Convocation will be followed by a well-knit concert of music and dance from 6:00 p.m. onwards when Salil Bhatt and Ankit Bhatt (Satvik Veena-Sitar Jugalbandi) and noted Kathak danseuse Madhumita Roy will mesmerize the city audience with their thrilling performances.
Salil Bhatt, Creator of Satvik Veena, represents the tenth generation of the famous Bhatt lineage, where music has been flowing for more than five hundred years. Salil is the son of the legendary slide player and India’s Grammy Award winner Padmashree Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt. Salil has learnt the nuances of music from his legendary father and after mastering the Mohan Veena for more than twenty years, he has created a new version of the traditional Veena named as the ‘Satvik Veena’ for which he is receiving innumerable accolades and rave reviews all over the world.
Ankit Bhatt is one of the young and promising Sitar players of the country. He is also belonging to the Bhatt lineage. Son of late Sitar maestro Pandit Shashi Mohan Bhatt, Ankit has received training in Sitar playing from Sitarist of eminence Pandit Krishna Mohan Bhatt and Vidushi Manju Mehta (both disciples of Bharat Ratna Pandit Ravi Shankar).
Madhumita Roy is a well-known name in the field of Kathak dance. She is the one of the foresmost disciples of Pandit Ramgopal Mishra (Jaipur gharana) and Pandit Vijay Shankar (Lucknow Gharana). She has also taken advanced training in Kathak under the tutelage of Pandit Birju Maharaj. A widely traveled artiste, Madhumita Roy has performed in numerous dance festivals not only in India but also abroad, including USA, Germany, Canada, Italy, Spain, etc.
