IIT Kharagpur opens Academy of Classical and Folk Arts

Kolkata, August 19

IIT Kharagpur has inaugurated the Academy of Classical and Folk Arts on its campus, an institute spokesperson said on Wednesday.

It will offer training on music, fine arts and other performing arts, she said.

The academy, inaugurated on Tuesday, is in the spirit of the New Education Policy, 2020, to kindle innovation and multidisciplinary teaching, the spokesperson said.

Hindustani classical vocalist Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty will head the ‘100 ragas’ initiative of the academy. It aims to formulate deep structures of Indian ragas by forging creative arts with cognitive sciences, she said.

“It is essential for an institute of national importance to focus on the holistic development of its students, staff and faculty members. The Academy of Classical and Folk Arts is first-of-its-kind in IIT Kharagpur,” institute Director, Professor VK Tewari, said.

“Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty will deliver a lecture- demonstration on how learning music can help in developing necessary traits for scientific innovation,” Deputy Director, Professor SK Bhattacharyya, said.

The institute spokesperson said the academy will inculcate traits of experimentation and innovation in young minds.

The academy is being supported by alumni Arjun Malhotra, Dr Kiran Seth, Mukund Padmanabhan and members of the IIT Kharagpur Foundation, USA, she added. PTI