A four-minute video, Desh Ek Raag, has been released by ITC Ltd and the ITC Sangeet Research Academy on the occasion of the country’s 78th Independence Day. The video features Gurus and Scholars of the Academy, in collaboration with other artistes, performing a soul-stirring composition set in Raga Desh.
The video, a unique mélange of tradition and freshness, was launched at the ITC SRA auditorium on 13th August, 2024. Members of the Board of Trustees of the Academy, Gurus, Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty, Pandit Partha Chatterjee, Shri Omkar Dadarkar and Shri Abir Hossain were present on the occasion.
The programme began with speeches by Mr. Saradindu Dutta, Executive Director of the Academy and Mr. Nazeeb Arif, member of the Board of Trustees. Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty, the first Scholar of ITC SRA, spoke about the changed times and the need for collaborations. The veteran of the Academy travelled down memory lane to reminisce about his early days in the institution. Shri Abir Hossain, who has created the music for the video, shared his experiences of working with a large number of musicians and musical instruments.
The programme ended with a special screening of the video and spontaneous applause from the audience.
The media has responded overwhelmingly to the project. Here are the links of the media responses:
Ahead of I-Day, ITC pays tribute to nation with musical composition ‘Desh Ek Raag’ – The Statesman
ITC SRA creates musical tribute for Independence Day | t2ONLINE
Desh Ek Raag: A musical tribute to the nation – Times of India (indiatimes.com)
How brands are gearing up to celebrate India’s 78th Independence Day | Advertising | Campaign India
ITC pays tribute with ‘Desh Ek Raag’ by ITC Sangeet Research Academy | 1 Indian Television Dot Com
ITC pays tribute to the nation with ‘Desh Ek Raag’ (exchange4media.com)
Itc Camapign: ITC pays tribute to the nation with ‘desh ek raag’, ET BrandEquity (indiatimes.com)