By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 24 Oct: The “Virasat Sadhana and Cultural Evening” on Wednesday was yet another captivating and delightful experience for the audience. The day began with vibrant performances by school children, setting a colourful tone for the event. Samir Tiwari initiated the programme with a soulful rendition in Raag Bhairav, earning applause from the audience for his mastery over classical music rhythms.
Vidhi Choudhary, a student from Touchwood School, delivered an outstanding performance in Raag Jaunpuri. Alongside her, Parthavi Chauhan and Devansh Awasthi from Colonel Brown School performed in Raag Malgaon. The presentation by little Nandini Singh from Universal Academy was the highlight of the morning, captivating everyone’s attention. Kashmi Negi from Asian School and Kimaya Singh from The Tom Brinck School performed a Tarana in Raag Nandini.
Other students, including Nayan Tara Singh, Saiga Jain, Ayushman Shukla, Shaurya Aswal, Saanveer Tomar, and Arim Kumar, added to the charm of the event with their mesmerising classical performances.
As part of the Virasat Sadhana programme, a discussion was held at GRD IMT, Dehradun, where Dr Arshiya Sethi delivered a lecture. She poignantly remarked, “In this life, there is nothing more beautiful than life itself.”
The discussion centered on the topic, “Why is art important for the youth?” Addressing the students, Dr Arshiya highlighted the significance of art and stated that, if we make art free of cost, its value in society would diminish. Therefore, it is essential to view art through the lens of value creation and a strong purpose.
She emphasized that everything learned in life is a form of art, whether it is dancing, acting, singing, or even cooking. If a person’s life is balanced, their art will also be complete. If there are no learners or teachers of art, then a particular form of art has vanished forever, and we may never see or hear it again.
Participating in the discussion, GRD IMT’s Managing Director, Dolly Oberoi, congratulated the entire Virasat team for organising the event and praised the initiative. She emphasised the importance of educating the youth about the need to preserve art, culture, and crafts, as also endangered cultural practices.
Unison School, in collaboration with the REACH organisation, hosted a captivating performance by the prestigious Navy Band. The event, held at the school, aimed to celebrate maritime history and the significant role of the Indian Navy. The ceremony began with an inspiring inaugural speech by retired Commodore Gautam Negi.
Sub-Lieutenant Shreya Joshi shared insightful information about maritime history and emphasised the vital contribution of the sea to the nation’s heritage. Retired Commodore Monica took the stage to discuss the importance of self-reliance within the Indian Navy. She provided an in-depth explanation of the Navy’s various roles, career opportunities, life on board, and the recruitment process, including the SSB interview and entry through institutions like the Indian Naval Academy and National Defence Academy.
Captain Kukreti then introduced the audience to the Navy Band and its talented musicians. The Navy Band presented a diverse repertoire, featuring: Uday Das (Flute/Soprano Saxophone); Amal Jose (Shehnai/Vocals); Roshan Thapa (Shehnai); Rupam Roy (Shehnai); Vardan Chauhan (Shehnai); Vishal (Alto Saxophone); Sandeep Digal (Tenor Saxophone); Arun Kumar (Bassoon/Lead Guitar); Rahul Joshi (French Horn); U.K.K. Reddy (Cornet); B. Anandraj (Cornet); John Paul Eddie (Cornet/Vocals); Mamupreet Singh (Cornet/Keyboard); Swapnil Chhetri (Tenor Trombone); Bhupathi E (Tenor Trombone/Keyboard); Anthony Raphael (Euphonium/Octapad); Shrijit V.R. (Bass); V. Pranav (Bass); S.B. Rana Magar (Bass) and Prince Varghese (Percussion). The musical programme commenced with the traditional “Mangal” and featured a variety of performances, including the Navy’s marching tunes, folk songs from Uttarakhand, and popular Bollywood hits. Following this, Unison School Principal, Mona Khanna, presented a bouquet to the Navy officers and addressed the gathering.
At Virasat, Anol Chatterjee’s enchanting Raageshwari performance captivated the audience. He began his Hindustani classical recital with Raag Raageshwari, delivering a slow composition (vilambit) as part of a Bada Khayal, showcasing his mastery of melody and rhythm. Accompanying him on the harmonium was Pandit Dharmanath Mishra, while Pandit Shubh Maharaj played the tabla, and Siddhant Pruthi and Nitin Sharma supported on the tanpura.
The renowned duo of Ronu Majumdar and Shashank brought their magical jugalbandi to life at the Virsaat festival. The flute jugalbandi by Ronu Majumdar and Shashank was a captivating performance, accompanied by Pt V Narhari on tabla and Guru Raghavendra on mridangam. The recital opened with Raga Hansdhwani set to the rhythm of teen tal. Following this, they played a traditional Dhun with remarkable synchronicity. The performance concluded with the evocative Raga Charukeshi.
