32nd Foundation Day
SIIB Auditorium| July 15, 2024| 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Attendees- Batch 2023-25, Batch 2024-26, Faculty and Staff | Participants- 400+
On July 15, 2024, students, faculty, and staff gathered to celebrate 32nd Foundation Day with a grand ceremony. The event began with the lighting of the lamp, symbolizing the presence of Goddess Saraswati. This was followed by the welcoming of esteemed guests: Dr. Asmita Chitnis, former Director, SIIB; Guest of Honor Mrs. Anupama Arvind Azad, Vice president of the Talayan Institute of Music; Mrs. Anjali S. Rao, a renowned violinist; the talented musicians Mr. Nitin Daithankar and Mr. Anmol Nigam (renowned shehnai players), Mr. Amritanshu Dutta (an expert on slide guitar); the mesmerizing Tabla players Mr. Aniruddha Deshpande, Mr. Sandeepan Mukherjee and Mr. Sourabh Gulavani; and vocalist Mrs. Manju Pendharkar. Dr. Alka Maurya, Director of SIIB, and Dr. Prakash Rao, Deputy Director of SIIB, graciously facilitated the guests.
Contributing to the delightful ambience, Dr. Alka Maurya, Director, SIIB acknowledged the contributions of everyone who helped build the strong foundation of SIIB and encouraged the aspirations of the students. Subsequently, Dr. Asmita Chitnis addressed to the audience, extending her best wishes to the students for their future endeavours.
Taking the stage, Mrs. Manju Pendharkar greeted the audience. Her voice resonated as she shared a quote by the great sitar maestro Pandit Ravishankar: “What is sound when stretched, Music. Movement, when stretched, is dance. The mind when stretched is meditation, and life when stretched is celebration.” With these profound words setting the tone, she invited the esteemed shehnai maestros, Mr. Nitin Daithankar and Mr. Amol Nigam, along with the Tabla maestro, Mr. Aniruddha Deshpande, to enthral the audience with their melodious fusion of Indian classical music. Mr. Daithankar, a fourth-generation shehnai player and owner of a renowned band that introduces youngsters to fusion music through captivating performances, joined forces with Mr. Nigam, another international performer. Accompanying them was Mr. Deshpande, a gold medallist in MA Tabla and a professor at Symbiosis Viman Nagar, who boasts two decades of experience honing his craft under the guidance of Pt. Arvind Kumar Azad. Together, they delivered a breath-taking performance of Raag Vairaagi Bhairav, leaving the audience mesmerized.
Next, the audience welcomed Mr. Amritanshu Dutta, an Indian side guitarist, accompanied by Mr. Sandeepan Mukherjee, a tabla master. They performed Raag Nat Bhairav, captivating every soul. Each note and movement transported the audience to a realm of pure artistry and emotion.
Following the captivating performance, the stage transitioned to welcome the esteemed violinist, Mrs. Anjali S. Rao, accompanied by the talented Tabla player, Mr. Sourabh Gulavani. Mrs. Rao, a renowned violinist and recipient of numerous national and international accolades, took center stage. Her soulful violin notes intertwined flawlessly with Mr. Gulavani’s rhythmic Tabla beats, creating a mesmerizing symphony. The audience was spellbound, completely captivated by the musicians’ passionate performance.
The festivities reached a joyous peak, with the audience cheering wildly for the performers. All the musicians converged on stage, each wielding their master instrument. With a captivating twist of Bollywood flair woven into the classical masterpiece, Raag Bhairavi, they created a symphony that vibrated through the air. The audience, utterly enthralled, erupted in a thunderous standing ovation, filling the auditorium with the rapturous applause.
The 32nd Foundation Day celebration of SIIB was a great success. The audience enjoyed the artistry and renowned sense of unity among the SIIB family. The spellbinding performances by esteemed and accomplished musicians showcased the vibrant heritage of Indian classical music, where traditional and modern melodies intertwined to create a captivating symphony. As the festivities drew to a close, attendees left with a renewed sense of appreciation for the institute.
Kay Takeways:
“The foundation day event was sensational in its way today with numerous maestros playing together in harmony producing a mesmerizing symphony of notes.”
– Nishtha, MBA-IB Batch 2024-26
“The event today was quite memorable instilling in us fond moments of nostalgia. Seeing the loud growing cheers for our former director Mrs. Chitnis brought out a smile to all our faces.”
– Diksha Sharma, MBA-AB Batch 2024-26
“It was an amazing and soulful experience celebrating 32nd Foundation Day of our college, this is an impactful experience and is going to be in our memory lifelong.”
– Jibin Koruthu, MBA-EnE Batch 2023-25
