IIT Kharagpur opens Academy of Classical and Folk Arts

    Kolkata, Aug 19 (PTI) 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 V K 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 S K 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 SUS
ACD ACD

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)