In a letter addressed to Indian airlines and airports in the country, the Civil Aviation ministry has asked these entities to play Indian music, on request received from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
On Dec 23, 2021, the country’s Civil Aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia visited the headquarters of ICCR to discuss and hear various suggestions made to promote Indian music in flights.
Aviation Ministry Ask Flights and Airports to Play Indian Music
In a letter dated December 27, the Joint Secretary of Ministry of Civil Aviation, Usha Padhee requested Indian airlines and airports to consider playing Indian music in the aircrafts that are operated in India and at airports, as per a request placed by ICCR on Dec 23.
While the minister did not define what Indian music is, the letter stated, “Indian music encompasses numerous genres in multiple varieties and forms which include classical music, folk, light vocal, instrumental.”
The minister’s letter further read,
“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 has one of the many things every Indian has a reason for (being) truly proud of.”
What Did ICCR request of?
The Indian Council for Cultural Relations is an autonomous organisation under the Government of India, set with the objective to actively participate in the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes pertaining to India’s external cultural relations, among others.
On Dec 23, ICCR President Vinay Sahasrabuddhe handed over a letter to Jyotiraditya Scindia, with artists and musicians including Anu Malik, Kaushal S Inamdar, and Rita Ganguly, among others, present.
The letter read, “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”.
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