By Raju Vernekar
Mumbai, Sept 29:
On the occasion of 92 nd birth day of legendary singer Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar, the Maharashtra Government announced to set up India’s first music college of international standards in the name of her father Master Deenanath Mangeshkar in Mumbai, on Monday.
Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Minister Uday Samant tweeted, “Under the leadership of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and the initiative of Aditya Thackeray, my department will establish an international standard Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Government Music College on the occasion of the birthday of Empress Lata Didi.”
This is planned to be India’s first music college of international standard and will produce the next generation of singers and songwriters. Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar was the father of well-known singers Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Meena Khadikar and Usha Mangeshkar as well as composer Hridaynath Mangeshkar.
At present there is a department of music functioning under the University of Mumbai. It is one of the oldest and first Universities founded in India in 1857. It was later converted into the regular Department of Music. It offers a three-year Degree Course in vocal music – Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Vocal) was added to existing two year Diploma Course in Music H.V.C. In 1985, two year Diploma Course in Music Hindustani Instrumental Classical – Sitar and Hindustani Vocal Light were started. In 1988 two-year Diploma Course in Music Hindustani Instrumental Classical – Tabla and in 1989 two-year Post-graduate Course in Vocal Music – Master of Fine Arts (Music Vocal) were started in the Department of Music. Three Year Degree Courses (B.F.A.) in Hindustani Instrumental Classical – Sitar and Tabla were started in 1991.
The Faculty in the Department of Music consists of Reader and Lecturer in Vocal Music, Leading and renowned performers belonging to various traditions are appointed on the posts of Honorary Music Instructors. Apart from this regular staff on Faculty, many renowned scholars, experts, music performers are invited as Visiting Lecturers to give lecturers, demonstrations and exhibit performance excellence and teach theory syllabus to the students of the Department.
The Government of Goa has already set up the “ Deenanath Mangeshkar Kala Mandir (DMKM) at Panaji in Goa. DMKM seeks to foster and co-ordinate the activities in the different cultural fields such as music, drama, dance, literature, fine arts etc to promote the cultural unity. It also co-operates with similar institutions in other states for the furtherance of its objects and for enrichment of the Indian Culture as a whole.
