Varsity to go big with culture promotion via MoU route

LUCKNOW : Now, Bhatkhande State Cultural University can give affiliations to music colleges, institutes and cultural organisations in the state and can sign MoUs with any cultural institute in India and abroad for promotion of music and culture.

This will open new vistas for those who wish to research music, fine arts, theatre and other forms of culture. The cultural university can also play an important role in preserving and promoting those art forms which are on the verge of extinction in the country, experts said.

This has become possible after the cabinet approved the Deemed Bhatkhande State Cultural University Ordinance, 2021, on Tuesday.

Tuhin Dwivedi, registrar, Bhatkhande said, “Yes, affiliations will be given to any institute of the state but we will go through the route of MoUs to recognise music institutes of other states and those abroad. Ours is a unique cultural university which is the only one of its kind. There was an urgent need to set up a culture university in the state for the promotion of art and culture. Bhatkhande was a deemed university and now other colleges related to arts can be affiliated to it. “Artistes produced by Bhatkhande have made their mark in Bollywood, and other spheres of the music world. It is a visionary decision because after the declaration of the film city in Noida, Bhatkhande in Lucknow would form the supply line for the film Industry like the Pune Institute does.”

Kum Kum Dhar, former V-C Bhatkhande and noted Kathak exponent, said, “Bhatkhande has always been a centre of excellence for music but being a university gives you more grace. Now, you can give affiliations to other music colleges, the number of noted music colleges of Jaipur, Gwalior, Delhi used to inquire about affiliation to Bhatkhande in the past but we never had the power to affiliate them because Bhatkhande was under the department of culture. Now, it’s a cultural University.”

Teachers said that the flow of funds to one of the oldest institutes in the country would increase and the working conditions of the staff would improve. Now, the grants from centre and state will come regularly.

Talking over the phone, noted singer Anoop Jalota, who is also an alumnus of Bhatkhande, said, “The cultural university in Lucknow will not only prepare artists, singers, dancers but I am happy that university will bring out more research in Indian classical music, dance, drama, theatre, films and culture. The university will add a new dimension of cultural richness and diversity of Lucknow. It will highlight Lucknow on the international cultural map. “

Pravendra Singh Pinkul, a BNA student said, “Yes, we want BNA to be affiliated with Bhatkhande in the days to come. Then students here would be able to get a degree in theatre instead of a diploma. New things would be explored in art, music and drama forms and UP would emerge as a hub of cultural activities in India.”

EXPERTS AVER THE UNIVERSITY CAN PLAY MAJOR ROLE IN PRESERVING AND PROMOTING ART FORMS ON THE VERGE OF EXTINCTION