**Executive Summary**
On July 1, 2026, Akashvani inaugurated "Swar Prerna Veethika," a dedicated photo gallery at the Akashvani Rang Bhavan Auditorium, New Delhi, as part of its 90-year celebrations. Inaugurated by Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, the gallery honors legendary musicians who have significantly contributed to India's musical heritage and the broadcaster's legacy. This initiative serves as a milestone in the lead-up to the centenary of Indian radio broadcasting in 2027.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Gallery Overview and Phase 1**
* **Purpose:** The gallery celebrates the enduring bond between Akashvani and India's most eminent musicians, specifically those conferred with the country's highest civilian honors.
* **Initial Unveiling:** The first phase features portraits of 20 distinguished luminaries, including Bharat Ratna recipients such as Vidushi M.S. Subbulakshmi, Pt. Ravi Shankar, and Vidushi Lata Mangeshkar.
* **Honorees:** The collection includes Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan awardees across various disciplines, such as Ustad Bismillah Khan (Shehnai), Pt. Birju Maharaj (Kathak), and Ustad Amjad Ali Khan (Sarod).
**Organizational Vision and Expansion**
* **Phased Growth:** Prasar Bharati’s CEO announced that more portraits will be added to the gallery in future phases to include additional eminent artists.
* **Regional Reach:** Plans are underway to develop similar galleries at various Akashvani centers across India to honor distinguished local musicians.
* **Platform Commitment:** Akashvani continues to support diverse musical traditions through its platform, providing a stage for multiple generations of performers.
**Digital Initiatives and Cultural Preservation**
* **Digital Channels:** To ensure 24/7 access to classical and devotional music, Akashvani operates dedicated channels ‘Raagam’ and ‘Aaradhana’ on YouTube, the News-on-Air app, and the WAVES OTT platform.
* **Heritage Preservation:** The initiative aims to preserve the invaluable contributions of artists to Indian music while inspiring future musicians and listeners.
**Impact Analysis**
**Legendary Artists and Their Legacies**
**Impact**
Eminent artists who were closely associated with Akashvani receive formal institutional recognition for their contributions to India’s cultural and broadcasting history.
**Action Required**
The document does not specify direct action for these individuals, as the gallery serves as a tribute to their existing legacies.
**Future Generations of Artistes and Music Lovers**
**Impact**
Younger generations gain a centralized resource for inspiration and a deeper understanding of India’s rich musical heritage.
**Action Required**
Aspiring artists and listeners are encouraged to engage with the gallery and Akashvani’s digital platforms to maintain the flourish of these cultural traditions.
**Akashvani Regional Centres**
**Impact**
Local centers will become hubs for celebrating regional musical excellence, mirroring the national initiative.
**Action Required**
Regional centers must prepare to identify distinguished local musicians and establish dedicated galleries within their respective facilities.
Key Entities Referenced
Swar Prerna Veethika: A dedicated photo gallery initiative launched by Akashvani to honor legendary Indian musicians and preserve the country's musical heritage.
Akashvani: India's public service broadcaster that established the gallery as part of its 90-year celebrations to showcase its long-standing association with classical artistes.
Prasar Bharati: The statutory autonomous body overseeing public broadcasting in India, whose leadership announced the expansion of similar musical galleries across the country.
Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia: Renowned flautist and Padma Vibhushan awardee who officially inaugurated the 'Swar Prerna Veethika' gallery at Akashvani Bhavan.
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting: The primary Union Ministry responsible for the administration of Akashvani and the preservation of India's cultural heritage through public broadcasting.
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
Akashvani Launches ‘Swar Prerna Veethika’ as
Part of Its 90-Year Celebrations
Padma Vibhushan Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia Inaugurates the
Photo Gallery Honouring Legendary Musicians
प्रव तथ: 01 JUL 2026 6:23PM by PIB Delhi
Celebrating 90 years of Akashvani and in the run-up to the centenary of Radio Broadcasting in India in
2027, Akashvani today inaugurated ‘Swar Prerna Veethika’, a dedicated photo gallery celebrating the
enduring bond between Akashvani and India's legendary musicians. The gallery was inaugurated by
Padma Vibhushan Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia at the Akashvani Rang Bhavan Auditorium, Akashvani
Bhavan, New Delhi.
मुख्य अतथ पंडत हरप्रसाद चौरसया ारा
"स्वर प्रेरणा वीथका"
ाडकाग हाउस, आकाशवाणी भवन, नई दी त संगीत वभूतय क फोटो गैलरी का लोकापण
कया गया .
ान: रगं भवन सभागार, आकाशवाणी भवन, नई दी@MIB_India @airnewsalerts @MinOfC
ultureGoI pic.twitter.com/6KSlIZd1HS
— Akashvani आकाशवाणी (@AkashvaniAIR) July 1, 2026
/center>
For nearly nine decades, Akashvani has served as the nation's foremost public service broadcaster,
preserving and promoting India's rich musical heritage by taking the performances of legendary artistes to
millions of listeners across the country. Conceived as a tribute to this enduring legacy, Swar Prerna
Veethika honours eminent artistes who remained closely associated with Akashvani and were conferred
with the country's highest civilian honours. The initiative seeks to preserve their invaluable contribution to
Indian music while inspiring future generations of artistes and music lovers.In the first phase of the initiative, portraits of 20 distinguished music luminaries were unveiled. The
gallery features Bharat Ratna awardees Vidushi M.S. Subbulakshmi (Carnatic Vocal), Pt. Ravi Shankar
(Sitar), Vidushi Lata Mangeshkar (Playback Singing), Ustad Bismillah Khan (Shehnai), Pt. Bhimsen Joshi
(Hindustani Classical Vocal) and Dr. Bhupen Hazarika (Folk Music). It also honours Padma Vibhushan
awardees Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia (Bansuri), Ustad Amjad Ali Khan (Sarod) and Ustad Allauddin Khan
(Sarod), along with Padma Bhushan awardees, including Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan (Sarod), Pt. Birju Maharaj
(Kathak), Ustad Ahmed Jan Thirakwa (Tabla), Pt. Krishnarao Shankar Pandit (Hindustani Vocal), Vidushi
Shanno Khurana (Vocal), Pt. Debu Chaudhuri (Sitar), Vidushi Sharan Rani Backliwal (Sarod), Ustad Sabri
Khan (Sarangi), Pt. Rajan Mishra and Pt. Sajan Mishra (Hindustani Vocal), Ustad Asad Ali Khan (Rudra
Veena) and Ustad Mushtaq Husain Khan (Hindustani Vocal).
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Gaurav Dwivedi, Chief Executive Officer, Prasar Bharati, said that the
inauguration of Swar Prerna Veethika marks the first phase of Akashvani's efforts to express its gratitude
to legendary artistes whose immense contributions helped establish Akashvani as one of the country's
foremost cultural institutions. He said that portraits of more eminent artistes would be added to the gallery
in subsequent phases and that similar galleries dedicated to distinguished local musicians would also be
developed at Akashvani centres across the country.
Emphasising Akashvani's enduring commitment to Indian music, he said that the public broadcaster has
consistently nurtured diverse musical traditions by providing generations of artistes with a platform to
showcase their talent while catering to the varied preferences of listeners. He added that Akashvani'sdedicated digital channels, ‘Raagam’ for Hindustani classical music and ‘Aaradhana’ for devotional music,
are available round the clock on YouTube, News-on-Air app as well as on the WAVES OTT platform. He
noted that Akashvani's artistes have played a significant role in taking India's rich musical heritage to
audiences across the country and the world.
Addressing the gathering, Padma Vibhushan Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia described the occasion as a
"homecoming", recalling that his musical journey with Akashvani began through its Children's
Programme. Referring to Akashvani as a family that has nurtured generations of artistes, he expressed
hope that this rich cultural tradition would continue to flourish and that the institution would keep
receiving the love and affection of listeners across the country.
The occasion was further enriched by a captivating flute recital by Pandit Rupak Kulkarni, one of Pt.
Hariprasad Chaurasia's most distinguished disciples. A leading exponent of the Maihar Gharana, Pt.
Kulkarni is an internationally acclaimed flautist, recipient of several national and international honours,
and a top-grade Artist of Akashvani. His soulful performance, presented in the presence of his revered
Guru, was warmly appreciated by the audience.
The inauguration of Swar Prerna Veethika marks another significant milestone in Akashvani's continuing
efforts to preserve India's rich musical heritage and honour the legendary artistes whose contributions
have enriched the country's public service broadcasting tradition.
****
Mahesh Kumar/ Vivek Vishwash/ Aparajita Priyadarshini
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