Varanasi, Nov 3 (PTI) Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday released a Rs 250 commemorative coin marking the 250th birth anniversary of Carnatic music maestro Muthuswamy Dikshithar at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi.
The programme was organised under the Centre of Excellence for Indian Knowledge Systems at IIT-BHU, according to a statement issued by the institute.
Sitharaman recalled Dikshithar's contribution to Indian classical music and the country's cultural heritage. She also interacted with students at IIT-BHU, taking on the role of a teacher to explain Indian classical music, musical instruments and their distinctive features, the statement said.
Before the event, the finance minister paid a floral tribute to the statue of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, the founder of BHU.
The finance minister also interacted with school children and familiarised them with the rich tradition of Carnatic music and the unparalleled contribution of Muthuswami Dikshitar, the statement said.
She also spoke about the distinctive features of Dikshitar's veena, his deep association with Kashi and his stay in the city.
Sitharaman highlighted the importance of taking Indian music and cultural heritage to the younger generation.
"It is important to familiarise children with India's rich cultural traditions and heritage from an early age, as this helps develop their interest in understanding their cultural identity," she said.
She observed that in today's digital age, children spend most of their time on mobile phones. "While there is nothing wrong with this, participating in cultural programmes offers you with a different experience," Sitharaman said.
"Such programmes enable children to gain a closer understanding of the contributions of culture, language, music, literature and various art forms," she said, adding that it was essential to connect children with India's rich cultural heritage so that they could also understand the importance of their traditions and arts.
At the programme, Banaras Hindu University Vice-Chancellor Prof Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi shared his views on the significance of the historic occasion.
IIT-BHU Director Prof Amit Patra highlighted Muthuswami Dikshitar's contribution to music and his distinguished place in the tradition of Indian classical music.
The ceremony also featured captivating Carnatic music performances.
Renowned vocalist Dr Sumitra Vasudev from Karnataka paid a musical tribute to the great composer through her soulful rendition.
This was followed by a veena recital by Ramana Balachandhran, accompanied by Ganapatiraman on the mridangam and L Ramakrishnan on the violin. The performances introduced the audience to the rich heritage of Carnatic music.
The initiative to release the commemorative coin received support from the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme. BSE Managing Director Sundararaman Ramamurthy made a special contribution towards realising the initiative.
Dikshithar, along with Tyagaraja and Syama Sastri, is regarded as one of the trinity of Carnatic music. His compositions, largely in Sanskrit, are known for blending devotion, Indian philosophy and classical musical traditions. He is believed to have composed around 450-500 works, many of which continue to be performed at classical music concerts.
Dikshithar spent a considerable period in Varanasi, where he composed several works dedicated to temples and Hindu deities.
Utkarsh Srivastava of IIT-BHU's public relations department said the commemorative coin was issued by the Reserve Bank of India. Such coins are minted in limited quantities using precious metals and collected as memorabilia rather than used for regular transactions.
According to the government mint's website, the coin was available for purchase at Rs 6,985, with 238 pieces listed in stock on Tuesday evening.
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)