Guwahati: Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has advised airlines in India to play Indian music on their flights as well as at airport premises in the country after the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) submitted a memorandum to him requesting about it. The ICCR in its letter to the Ministry said “Indian music has a rich heritage and culture and it has one of the many things every Indian has a reason for truly proud of it.”
“Music played by most airlines across the globe is quintessential of the country to which the airline belongs, for example, Jazz in American airline or Mozart in Austrian Airline and Arab music in an airline from the Middle East. But Indian airlines seldom play Indian music in flight, whereas, our music has a rich heritage and culture and it has one of the many things every Indian has a reason for truly proud of it,” read the advisory written by aviation ministry joint secretary Usha Padhee to DGCA chief Arun Kumar and AAI chairman Sanjeev Kumar on Monday.
Noting that India has a rich diversity of traditional music, it said, “Owing to India’s vastness and diversity, Indian music encompasses numerous genres in multiple varieties and forms, which include classical music, folk, light vocal, instrumental music, etc.”
India has a history spanning several millennia and developed over several geo-locations spanning the sub-continent, it said. Music in India began as an integral part of socio-religious life, it noted.
The advisory further read, “It is, therefore, requested to kindly consider playing Indian music in the aircraft being operated in India and at airports following the requisites.”
Earlier on December 23, ICCR submitted a memorandum to the Civil Aviation Minister of India Jyotiraditya Scindia to make it mandatory for every Indian carrier to play Indian music in order to promote Indian music and said that if this happens in Indian Airlines, Indian music will get a lot of strength.
