Sarod maestro’s brilliance leaves audience spellbound

HYDERABAD: It was a mesmerising evening at IIT Hyderabad on Monday, when sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan weaved magic with his virtuoso performances that drew wholesome applause from the packed gathering, including students.

The venue, LHC-5 lecture hall complex, was packed to capacity and students squeezed into every available space—on the stairs, in the corners, even sitting on the floor. Each person was intently listening with ardent admiration. The conclusion of every piece saw the hushed silence giving way to thunderous applause.

But it wasn’t just the music that resonated. The living legend’s words struck a chord too, as he spoke about issues close to the hearts of today’s young generation.

“Music is a precious gift from God; it doesn’t belong to any religion. While music connects the world, unfortunately, language creates barriers. Nonetheless, all musicians in the world are like a close-knit family. The word 'sarod' itself comes from Persian, meaning music,” the composer par excellence explained.

He also spoke about violence against women, referring to the recent incidents in Kolkata.

“I hope every woman, girl and child is treated with respect. It breaks my heart to see what’s happening around. We all need to come together to ensure that every woman in this country is treated with love and dignity,” he said.

The event was a precursor to the 10th international convention of SPIC MACAY, to be hosted by IIT Hyderabad from May 26 to June 1. The convention will see popular artists from across the country celebrating the richness of Indian classical music, dance and art.

The convention’s vision is to blend tradition with modernity, inspiring youth to find connections between music, science and holistic growth.

Dr. Kiran Seth, founder of SPIC MACAY (Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth), shared the vision behind creating an "Ashram-like" atmosphere during the convention to inspire youth to not only become artists but also complete human beings and scientists.

Among the notable artists participating in the convention will Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia (flute), Begum Parveen Sultana (Hindustani vocals), Raja Radha Reddy (Kuchipudi), T.M. Krishna (Carnatic vocals), Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (Mohan veena), N. Rajam (Hindustani violin) and Kapila Venu (Kutiyattam).