Sitar maestro Anoushka Shankar has described the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in London as the number one hub for Indian arts and culture in the UK.

International

-Sathish Raman

The
Bharatiya
Vidya
Bhavan,
celebrating
its
golden
jubilee
year
in
London,
stands
as
the
foremost
center
for
Indian
arts
and
culture
in
the
United
Kingdom.
Sitar
maestro
Anoushka
Shankar
highlighted
this
fact
during
the
Bhavan’s
annual
Diwali
celebration,
reminiscing
about
her
own
childhood
experiences
visiting
the
Bhavan
with
her
father,
the
late
Bharat
Ratna
Pandit
Ravi
Shankar.

Anoushka
Shankar’s
Personal
Connection

Shankar,
now
a
42-year-old
UK-based
classical
musician,
vividly
recalled
her
early
collaborations
with
Bhavan
artists
in
the
late
1990s.
At
just
15
years
old,
she
assisted
her
father
on
the
iconic
“Chants
of
India”
album,
produced
by
the
legendary
Beatle
George
Harrison.
“That
was
my
first
time
starting
to
learn
how
to
conduct
a
real
ensemble,
and
I
got
to
work
with
them
on
that
album,
working
closely
with
artists
from
the
Bhavan,”
Shankar
shared,
speaking
as
the
guest
of
honor
at
the
event.

Reflecting
on
her
experiences,
Shankar
emphasized
the
Bhavan’s
pivotal
role
in
nurturing
and
promoting
Indian
arts
and
culture.
“Fast
forward
a
few
years
in
London,
when
I
would
be
asked:
‘I
want
my
child
to
learn
the
sitar
or
the
flute,
where
would
I
send
them?’ It’s
the
Bhavan.
I
always
say
call
the
Bhavan.
It’s
the
number
one
place,
an
incredibly
special
place
that
we
have…
for
children
to
have
that
kind
of
exposure
to
their
roots,
to
arts,
to
culture,
to
mythology,
it’s
so
beautiful
and
meaningful,”
she
said.

The
Bhavan’s
Contributions

Established
in
London
in
1972
and
later
moving
to
its
current
premises
in
West
Kensington
in
1978,
the
Bhavan
UK
has
dedicated
itself
to
preserving
and
promoting
classical
Indian
arts,
Yoga,
languages,
and
culture.
The
annual
Diwali
celebration
showcased
the
talents
of
the
current
cohort
of
students,
who
displayed
their
skills
in
Kathak,
Bharatanatyam,
and
classical
music.

Vikram
Doraiswami,
Indian
High
Commissioner
to
the
UK
and
chief
guest
at
the
event,
commended
the
Bhavan’s
efforts
in
making
India
and
its
culture
accessible
to
a
wider
audience.
“The
Bhavan’s
work
in
the
last
51
years
has
made
India
and
its
culture
accessible
to
all.
It
has
brought
a
whole
new
generation
of
young
people
into
a
greater
understanding
and
celebration
of
what
it
means
to
understand
Indian
art
and
culture;
and
it
has
made
this
accessible
to
a
broader
audience,” he
said.

Doraiswami
also
acknowledged
the
deep
cultural
connection
between
the
UK
and
India,
stating,
“That
says
a
lot,
of
course,
for
this
country
to
start
with,
that
the
connection
with
India
continues
to
be
celebrated
through
its
culture,
and
that
makes
the
Bhavan
one
of
the
wonderful
bridges
that
connects
the
UK
with
India.”

Gratitude
and
Reflection

The
event
commenced
with
Vedic
chants
led
by
Bhavan
Chairman
Subhanu
Saxena
and
Executive
Director
Dr.
M.N.
Nandakumara,
who
was
recently
conferred
an
honorary
MBE
by
King
Charles
III
for
his
services
to
Indian
classical
arts
in
Britain.
Reflecting
on
the
Bhavan’s
achievements,
Dr.
Nandakumara
expressed
his
gratitude
and
pride.

“Just
a
few
months
shy
of
our
51st
year
here
in
London,
I
feel
an
immense
sense
of
gratitude
as
I
look
back
over
the
Bhavan’s
activities
over
the
last
12
months
and
most
of
all
the
fact
that
we
are
able
to
provide
our
students
and
audiences
a
place
where
they
can
fully
dive
into
creativity
and
connection
in
so
many
forms,”
said
Dr.
Nandakumara.

The
Bharatiya
Vidya
Bhavan
stands
as
a
beacon
of
Indian
arts
and
culture
in
the
UK,
celebrating
its
golden
jubilee
year
with
a
rich
legacy
of
promoting
creativity,
understanding,
and
connection.
Through
its
dedication
to
teaching
and
preserving
classical
Indian
arts,
Yoga,
languages,
and
culture,
the
Bhavan
continues
to
bridge
the
gap
between
India
and
the
UK,
fostering
a
deeper
appreciation
for
the
beauty
and
diversity
of
Indian
heritage.