SMVDU, 30th October: Pr. Rajendra Prasanna – a noted flute maestro mesmerized the audience by his flute play in Matrika Auditorium at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University. He was accompanied by Sh. Lalit Kumar on Tabla and they together presented raag-yaman, pahadi-raag, ganga-ma-ki-balaiya and raag-durga which spell-bound the people of SMVDU. The event was a curtsy from the Jammu & Kashmir chapter of Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture amongst Youth (SPIC MACAY). This was the first ever presentation of a stand-alone performance under SPIC MACAY at SMVDU. Dr. Sapna Sangra, State Chairperson of SPIC MACAY Jammu & Kashmir introduced the SPIC MACAY to the students of SMVDU. Dr. Seema Rohmentra Coordinator SPIC MACAY Jammu region also accompanied.

It may be noted that Pt. Rajendra Prasanna hails from the renowned ‘Benaras Gharana’ and is a master of flute and shehnai both. He was the first shehnai and flute player honored with the Uttar Pradesh ‘Sangeet Natak Academy Award’ in 1995. He was also the recipient of the Life Time Achievement Award of the Sahara India in 2003. He performed at many European and Asian nations including France, Belgium, Poland, Germany, UK, Switzerland, Russia, Norway, Japan, Mauritius, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and all Middle East countries. Dr. Varun Kumar Tripathi, President Board of Cultural Activities, Dr. Sumeet Gupta, Dean Academic Affairs, Dr. Parvez Slathia and Mr. Samir Vohra felicitated the artists by presenting mementos.