Karnataka   

Name for music varsity triggers row

— Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.

STRIKING A DIFFERENT CHORD: (From left) Carnatic vocalist R.K. Padmanabha, Karnataka Ganakala Parishath vice-president M.V. Subramanya, R.K. Srikantan and M.S. Sheela in Bangalore on Tuesday.

BANGALORE: Naming the Music University in Mysore after renowned Hindustani vocalist Gangubai Hangal appears to have triggered a controversy with a group of Carnatic musicians expressing their displeasure over the proposal.

Their contention is that naming the university after Gangubai will give room to further “regional imbalance” in the State. They maintained that the name gives a wrong signal and it would seem as if the university taught only Hindustani music. The Government could instead opt to name the university after a musician who had contributed to the development of Carnatic music.

Senior musician R.K. Srikantan, who addressed presspersons here on Tuesday, said although Gangubal Hangal was a renowned singer in her own right, the university need not be named after her.

He said that a Music Study Centre that was being established at Unakal in Hubli with the financial assistance from the Government is already being named after Hanagal. “There is no need of having two institutions named after the same person. A fishing harbour in Uttara Kannada district is also named after Gangubai,” he said.

The pioneers of Carnatic music such as Purandara Dasa, Veene Sheshanna, Vasudevachar, violinist T. Chowdiah, Mysore Mahrajas Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar and Jayachamaraja Wadiyar could have been considered. “If there is objection to naming it after an individual, the Government could name it as ‘Wodeyar Music University, Mysore, or could be retain the original name.”

Renowned musicians, including R.K. Padmanabha, M.S. Sheela and M.V. Subramanya, were present.

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