IGCC Honours Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia With Musical Tribute In Dhaka

The Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC), under the High Commission of India in Dhaka, marked the 88th birth anniversary of legendary flautist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia with a special tribute concert titled Banshir Sure at the Indian Cultural Centre in Gulshan. The event celebrated the maestro's enduring contribution to Indian classical music and his role in strengthening cultural ties between India and Bangladesh.

The programme was attended by diplomats, musicians, cultural figures, media representatives, students and classical music enthusiasts. Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Tribedi, the chief guest, reflected on his long association with Chaurasia, describing him as a towering figure in Indian classical music whose humility matched his extraordinary artistry.

Tribedi also highlighted Chaurasia's celebrated collaborations with icons such as Pandit Birju Maharaj, Girija Devi and santoor maestro Pandit Shivkumar Sharma. As one half of the composer duo Shiv-Hari, Chaurasia co-created memorable film scores for classics including Silsila, Chandni and Lamhe. He also shared anecdotes about the flautist's early wrestling training and his transformative guidance under guru Annapurna Devi, who encouraged him to adopt his distinctive left-handed playing style.

A key highlight of the evening was a flute recital by Ekushey Padak recipient Gazi Abdul Hakim, accompanied by four Bangladeshi instrumentalists. The performance featured Indian classical ragas, Bhatiyali compositions and tribute pieces dedicated to Chaurasia and the late folk singer Farida Parveen.

Speaking at the event, Hakim hailed Chaurasia as one of the world's greatest flautists and recalled a cultural initiative during the tenure of former Indian President Pranab Mukherjee that saw him and Farida Parveen record 20 Lalon songs translated into Hindi. He also called for greater recognition and respect for musicians in Bangladesh, urging that veteran artistes and cultural contributors receive the honour they deserve.