As part of its 90th anniversary celebrations and ahead of the centenary of radio broadcasting in India in 2027, Akashvani on Tuesday inaugurated ‘Swar Prerna Veethika’, a dedicated photo gallery paying tribute to legendary musicians who have played a pivotal role in enriching India’s musical heritage through the national broadcaster.
The gallery was inaugurated by Padma Vibhushan Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia at the Akashvani Rang Bhavan Auditorium in New Delhi.
Conceived as a tribute to Akashvani’s long-standing association with India’s finest musicians, the gallery honours eminent artistes who remained closely associated with the broadcaster and were conferred with the country’s highest civilian honours. The initiative aims to preserve their legacy while inspiring future generations of musicians and music enthusiasts.
In its first phase, the gallery features portraits of 20 distinguished music luminaries representing diverse traditions of Indian music.
Among those honoured are Bharat Ratna awardees M.S. Subbulakshmi, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Lata Mangeshkar, Ustad Bismillah Khan, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and Dr. Bhupen Hazarika. The gallery also includes Padma Vibhushan awardees Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and Ustad Allauddin Khan, along with several eminent Padma Bhushan recipients, including Pandit Birju Maharaj, Ustad Ahmed Jan Thirakwa, Pandit Debu Chaudhuri, Vidushi Sharan Rani Backliwal, Ustad Sabri Khan, Pandit Rajan Mishra, Pandit Sajan Mishra, Ustad Asad Ali Khan, Ustad Mushtaq Husain Khan, Pandit Krishnarao Shankar Pandit, Vidushi Shanno Khurana and Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan.
Speaking on the occasion, Prasar Bharati Chief Executive Officer Gaurav Dwivedi described Swar Prerna Veethika as Akashvani’s tribute to the legendary artistes whose contributions helped establish the broadcaster as one of India’s foremost cultural institutions. He said more portraits would be added in subsequent phases and similar galleries dedicated to regional music icons would be developed at Akashvani centres across the country.
Highlighting Akashvani’s role in preserving India’s musical traditions, he said the public broadcaster has provided generations of artistes with a platform to showcase their talent while making classical, folk and devotional music accessible to audiences nationwide. He also noted that Akashvani’s dedicated digital channels—Raagam, featuring Hindustani classical music, and Aaradhana, devoted to devotional music—are available on YouTube, the NewsOnAir app and the WAVES OTT platform.
Addressing the gathering, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia described the occasion as a “homecoming”, recalling that his association with Akashvani began through its Children’s Programme. Referring to Akashvani as a family that has nurtured generations of musicians, he expressed hope that the institution would continue to preserve and promote India’s rich musical traditions.
The event also featured a flute recital by Pandit Rupak Kulkarni, one of Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia’s distinguished disciples and a top-grade Akashvani artiste. His performance was warmly received by the audience.
