Acting on the request made by the Indian Council of Cultural Research (ICCR), the Civil Aviation Ministry has urged domestic airlines and airports operators to play Indian music in airport premises and on board aircraft.
“Ministry of Civil Aviation is in receipt of request from ICCR on playing Indian music in the aircraft being operated in India and at airports following the regulatory requisites,” the ministry in a letter informed airlines and airport operators. The step has been taken with a aim to promote Indian music. The letter also mentions that music in India began as an “integral part of socio-religious life”.
The ICCR wrote a letter to the Civil Aviation Ministry on December 23 and made a request to Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia to promote Indian music in domestic flights and airports. Following the request Jyotiraditya Scindia had visited the headquarters of ICCR, to discuss the same. The meeting included artists and musicians like Anu Malik, Kaushal S Inamdar, Malini Awasthi, Shounak Abhisheki, Manjusha Patil K, Sanjeev Abhyankar, Rita Ganguly and Wasifuddin Dagar, who were the signatories to the letter sent to Aviation Ministry.
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“It is extremely unfortunate that most airlines in India, both private and government owned, as well as both domestic and international, seldom, if at all, play Indian music. Our music mirrors our rich heritage and culture and it is one of the many things every Indian has a reason to be truly proud of”, wrote ICCR in a letter to the Civil Aviation Ministry.
Highlighting the diverse music culture of India including folk music, light vocal, instrumental music, classical music etc., the ministry wrote in the letter Indian music has a rich heritage and it has one of the many things every Indian has a reason for truly being proud of.
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“Music played by most of the airlines across the globe is quintessential of the country to which the airline belongs, for example, jazz in American airlines or Mozart in Austrian airlines and Arab music in an airline from the Middle East. But, Indian airlines seldom play Indian music in the flight, whereas, our music has a rich heritage and culture and it is one of the many things every Indian has a reason for (being) truly proud of it,” Joint Secretary of Civil Aviation Ministry Usha Padhee said in the letter written to Indian airlines and airport operators.
