Union Civil Aviation Ministry urges airlines, airports to play Indian music

Indian flights and music: The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation has urged airlines in India as well as operators of airports to play Indian music in the aircraft as well as on the premises of the airports. The action has been taken based on a request by the ICCR or the Indian Council of Cultural Research, according to a report in IE. In the letter sent to the airport authorities as well as airlines, Usha Padhee, Joint Secretary of Union Ministry of Civil Aviation, said that worldwide, the music that is played in aircrafts of most of the airlines is important to the country of origin of that airlines, like American airlines play jazz, while Austrian airlines play Mozart. Meanwhile, in airlines originating in the Middle East, Arabian music is played. However, despite the rich culture as well as the heritage of music in India, Indian music is rarely played in Indian airlines.

The report further cited the letter as saying that Indian music is one of the many things that give every citizen a reason to be proud. The order further stated that the ministry had received the request from ICCR to play Indian music in aircrafts being operated in the country as well as at airports.

ICCR is an autonomous body under the Union Ministry of External Affairs, and its request for promotion of Indian music in Indian flights had been made to Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on December 23 by ICCR President and Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, the IE report added. This happened during Scindia’s visit to the ICCR headquarters, when various other suggestions were also made by the organisation.

Usually, in Indian flights, standard piped music is played while passengers are boarding or de-boarding an aircraft, with some airlines even playing specifically made brand music.

The ICCR letter, which expressed remorse over the lack of airlines – be it government or private or domestic or international – promoting Indian music, was also signed by musicians and artists including Anu Malik, Rita Ganguly, Shounak Abhisheki, Malini Awasthi, Wasifuddin Dagar, Manjusha Patil K, Sanjeev Abhyanakar and Kaushal S Inamdar.

from Travel & Tourism – The Financial Express https://ift.tt/3mLoMFh