MUMBAI: ITC Ltd, through the ITC Sangeet Research Academy (ITCSRA), has unveiled Desh Ek Raag 2—a sweeping musical salute to India’s cultural heritage ahead of the nation’s seventy ninth Independence Day. Anchored in Raag Desh and enriched by elements of Vande Mataram, the performance combines Hindustani classical music with Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi and Kathak, performed by celebrated dance gurus and their disciples.
The project, directed musically by ITCSRA guru Abir Hossain, features leading names including Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty, Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar, Pandit Partha Chatterjee, Vidushi Subhra Guha, Pandit Uday Bhawalkar and tabla maestro Pandit Suresh Talwalkar. Western instrumentation by the band Prithibi adds a contemporary texture.
“Desh Raag is the unifying thread weaving our country’s beauty, diversity and traditions,” said Chakrabarty. Hossain noted that this year’s edition brought together a new mix of scholars, faculty and veteran artistes to reflect both tradition and fresh creative energy.
The performance, recorded at ITCSRA’s Kolkata studio and filmed by Chandrasish Ray, is an expansion of 2024’s Desh Ek Raag, which drew over a million views. Chairman Sanjiv Puri called it “a tribute to our beloved nation” and a reminder of the academy’s role in preserving the Guru-Shishya parampara.
Founded in 1977, ITCSRA has trained generations of Hindustani classical musicians in the tradition of residential, immersive learning. With over 40 scholars in Kolkata and Pune, the academy blends cross-gharana exposure with rigorous discipline—ensuring the music and its values endure.