Just saw a post on Facebook which gave the details of the SPIC MACAY’s 6th International Convention at IIT Kharagpur. The organisation has came too far and has been successfully fulfilling its primary objectives.
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| Prof. Kiran Seth |
An organisation which was the vision of a young IIT Kharagpur Graduate, started in a small room, in order to spread Indian music, culture, and heritage to youth across the country, Spic MACAY was started by Kiran Seth.
Prof Kiran shares that many people opposed the idea initially. “When we started, most people were of the opinion that there were many more important problems that faced mankind. Many of my colleagues, friends and relatives often asked me why I was wasting my time on ‘gaana bajaana’. I must admit that I was often confused and did not know whether I was on the right track, but some intuition kept me going.”
Keeping the goal of connecting the youth with something which is their own, which is something to be proud of, was what Prof. Kiran was after. SPIC MACAY not only introduces the students or the youth to the Indian classical music, dance, folk music, yoga and other fields of Indian culture but also tries to develop their interest in these fields. An organisation which started just as an unique experiment has worked effectively for many students, helping them in understanding the fine art of living.
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| Pt Jasraj at performing at SPIC MACAY's concert |
Over the past decades of Spic MACAY’s existence, its activities have comprised of performances and workshops on folk and classical arts held in different educational institutions across the country which has been made possible by a strong volunteer force.
The organisation has grown organically, falling, but rising each time, and learning all the way. The organisation believes that experiencing performances, and learning of unknown art forms not only instills a sense of appreciation among the youth, but also shows us how pluralistic our country is. It shows us how rich our culture is and how unknown we are to it. The biggest challenge the movement faces is the lack of funds. As per the policy of the organisation, participants pay no fee, and the organisation solely depends on donations, and government, corporate, and individual grants and sponsorships.
With exposure to the fine arts over the 40 years, Spic MACAY’s work has helped the Indian youth to take pride in being Indian, appreciate the rich and pluralistic culture of the country, and to also become sensitive to others around them.
