Akashvani (All India Radio) inaugurated 'Swar Prerna Veethika', a dedicated photo gallery honoring legendary musicians, as part of its 90-year celebrations and in the run-up to the centenary of Radio Broadcasting in India in 2027. The gallery was inaugurated by Padma Vibhushan Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia at the Akashvani Rang Bhavan Auditorium in New Delhi on July 1, 2026.
The gallery features 20 distinguished music luminaries in its first phase, including Bharat Ratna awardees Vidushi M.S. Subbulakshmi (Carnatic Vocal), Pt. Ravi Shankar (Sitar), Vidushi Lata Mangeshkar (Playback Singing), Ustad Bismillah Khan (Shehnai), Pt. Bhimsen Joshi (Hindustani Classical Vocal), and Dr. Bhupen Hazarika (Folk Music). It also honors Padma Vibhushan awardees Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia (Bansuri), Ustad Amjad Ali Khan (Sarod), and Ustad Allauddin Khan (Sarod), along with Padma Bhushan awardees Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan (Sarod), Pt. Birju Maharaj (Kathak), Ustad Ahmed Jan Thirakwa (Tabla), Pt. Krishnarao Shankar Pandit (Hindustani Vocal), Vidushi Shanno Khurana (Vocal), Pt. Debu Chaudhuri (Sitar), Vidushi Sharan Rani Backliwal (Sarod), Ustad Sabri Khan (Sarangi), Pt. Rajan Mishra and Pt. Sajan Mishra (Hindustani Vocal), Ustad Asad Ali Khan (Rudra Veena), and Ustad Mushtaq Husain Khan (Hindustani Vocal).
Shri Gaurav Dwivedi, Chief Executive Officer of Prasar Bharati, announced that this marks the first phase of Akashvani's efforts to honor legendary artistes, with plans to add more portraits in subsequent phases and develop similar galleries dedicated to local musicians at Akashvani centers across the country. He emphasized Akashvani's role in nurturing diverse musical traditions through platforms like dedicated digital channels 'Raagam' for Hindustani classical music and 'Aaradhana' for devotional music, available on YouTube, News-on-Air app, and the WAVES OTT platform.
Padma Vibhushan Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia described the occasion as a 'homecoming', recalling that his musical journey with Akashvani began through its Children's Programme. The event featured a flute recital by Pt. Rupak Kulkarni, a distinguished disciple of Pt. Chaurasia and a top-grade Artist of Akashvani.