IIT Kharagpur launches Academy of Classical and Folk Arts

IIT Kharagpur on Tuesdday has inaugurated the Academy of Classical and Folk Arts on the occasion of their 70th Foundation Day through a webinar.

Professor Virendra K Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur and Padma Bhushan Ajoy Chakrabarty, who is a visiting faculty at the varsity was present on this webinar.

A spokesperson of the institute said that IIT Kharagpur has taken initiative for the first time in the IIT system to innovate in the new national education policy and to inspire inclusive education as well as multi-departmental education.

The Academy will offer regular training on music, fine arts and other performing arts, and run micro-credit courses for students.

Padma Bhushan Pt. Ajoy Chakrabarty, Distinguished Professor and Mentor is heading the Academy's ‘100 Ragas Initiative’ aimed to formulate the deep structure of Indian ragas as semi-lexical languages by forging a connection of the creative arts with the cognitive sciences.

Prof. V K Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur said, “It is essential for an institute of national importance to focus on the holistic development of its students, staff and faculty. The Academy of Classical and Folk Arts is the first of its kind at IIT Kharagpur. This and other forthcoming academies such as the Academy of Leadership are designed to expand the mind set of our students from narrow individual academic competitors to versatile and creative social beings with the flair and confidence of excelling in innovation and technology leadership. We are privileged to have an eminent musician in the form of Pt. Ajoy Chakraborty by our side as a Distinguished professor and mentor of this academy. With him by our side, we are happy to officially launch the academy.”