Author: Team

Raghubir Yadav’s Musical Journey at Spoken Fest Mumbai Takes Audiences on a Nostalgic Ride

As dusk fell upon a sea of eager listeners, actor, music composer, and singer Raghubir Yadav took the stage on Day 2 of Spoken Fest Mumbai, weaving together echoes of his past, with his performance. Widely known for his presence on stage and television, he was seen presenting as a musician at the Spoken Fest—his first live performance of this kind. His soulful performance unravelled childhood memories from his birthplace, Adartal, where music wasn’t just an art form but a way of life.

Raghubir Yadav shared stories and melodies from his childhood. He fondly reminisced how the rhythmic sounds of Adartal’s bylanes marked the start of his artistic journey. From the bhajans of Surdas that he first heard at the age of three to the melodic calls of street vendors—like the papad seller and the chana wala—his performance at Spoken Fest was an ode to a fading era when music flowed effortlessly through daily life. He recalled his childhood when travelling caravans of 10-15 carts would sing as they moved, how melodies emerged even from the most unexpected corners and how these sounds shaped his musical journey.

As he sang Bhojpuri folk songs like “Hamka joganiya bana gaye… “ the crowd swayed, mesmerised. When he broke into “Mehngai Dayain Khaye Jaat Hai” from Peepli Live, the energy shifted to lighthearted and deeply immersive. The festival grounds pulsed with an undeniable nostalgia, transporting audiences to a time when music wasn’t just composed but lived! At one point, Yadav picked up a simple straw (pipni) and played music on it, reliving his childhood. Accompanied by three other musicians Naynesh Pimpale, Siddharth Joshi & Hardik, he transformed Spoken Fest into a time capsule where melodies were born from the simplest joys of life.

His performance left an imprint—one of warmth, simplicity, and the undeniable magic of folk music. Raghubir Yadav didn’t just sing; he painted pictures with his voice, leaving the audiences at the Spoken Fest with hearts yearning for melodies from the past!

Dr. P.N. Arora Praises Government’s Move to Set Up 200 Cancer Day Care Centers in District Hospitals

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the 2025 budget on Saturday, announcing the establishment of 200 cancer day care centers across the country. Along with this, she also declared exemptions on several essential medicines. The health sector responded positively to these announcements, expressing happiness and stating that these measures will make medical treatment significantly more accessible for people.

The government’s decision to set up cancer day care centers in district hospitals to make cancer treatment more accessible has been welcomed by the health sector. Dr. P.N. Arora, CMD of Yashoda Super Specialty Hospitals, Kaushambi, praised the steps taken in the 2025-26 budget to strengthen the healthcare sector. He particularly highlighted the decision to open 200 cancer day care centers in district hospitals as a major move that will facilitate early cancer detection and treatment, especially in remote areas.

Additionally, the exemption of customs duty on 36 essential medicines and reduced taxes on cancer drugs will make treatment more affordable for patients. The government’s plan to add 10,000 new medical seats in 2025-26 and increase the total by 75,000 seats over the next five years will further enhance healthcare services.

Dr. Arora expressed hope that more such reforms will be introduced in the coming years, ensuring that every individual has access to better and more affordable healthcare facilities.

Jaipur Kala Kendra to Host NSD’s Bharat Rang Mahotsav, February 9-13, 2025

The National School of Drama (NSD) is organising its flagship Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM), International Theatre Festival of India, which completed a successful run of 25 years in 2024. Fondly called ‘Bharangam’, BRM is the world’s largest theatre festival, and is set to take place from February 9 to 13, 2025 in Jaipur. Through this pioneering effort, NSD is expanding the festival’s outreach with enhanced international engagement, building on last year’s theme ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, Vande Bharangam.’

“One Expression, Supreme Creation.” This slogan for Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2025 resonates with the spirit of unity in creative expression, and the oneness of all. Noted actor and NSD alumnus Sh. Rajpal Yadav has been named the Rang Doot (Festival Ambassador) for this year.

In collaboration with Rajasthan International Centre, Jaipur the festival will flag off in the city with an inauguration ceremony on February 9, 2025, at 6:00 PM at Jaipur Kala Kendra featuring the play The Rose.

Take a glance at the programme schedule for Jaipur:

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Chittaranjan Tripathy, Director of the National School of Drama, said: “Bharat Rang Mahotsav has become a quintessential theatre festival on the global stage with its expansive approach. It has not only served as a platform for theatre performances from around the world but has also offered opportunities for the amalgamation of various traditional performing art forms. Additionally, it has facilitated knowledge-sharing and idea-exchange among individuals from the dramatic arts and other creative fields.”

Shri Rajpal Yadav shared his thoughts as, “To return to NSD as a Rangdoot for Bharangam 2025, after graduating as a student in 1997, feels like life has come full circle. As I celebrate 25 years in cinema, I’m deeply moved to be part of this incredible gathering. It’s truly commendable to witness the high level of artistry achieved here, often with limited resources, a stark contrast to the world of cinema. I’m awestruck.” He further added, “With a mission to unite people through theatre and natya, I stand with you now and always. NSD, one of the world’s premier theatre institutes, has produced extraordinary talent, and under the leadership of Shri Chittaranjan Tripathy, I have no doubt that we will soon be recognized as leaders on the global stage.”

Welcoming one and all to Bharangam 2025, Professor Bharat Gupt, Vice Chairperson, National School of Drama said, “As we celebrate Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2025, marking the 65th Anniversary of the National School of Drama and the 60th Anniversary of the NSD Repertory Company, we embrace ‘Ek Rang, Shreshth Rang,’ (One Expression, Supreme Creation) as theatre unites us all, transcending borders through the universal language of storytelling. With the Rang Shashthi festival taking iconic productions to cities across India and beyond, we honour our legacy while looking forward to a future of limitless creativity. Welcome to a festival that celebrates unity, excellence, and the timeless power of theatre.”

BRM 2025, which spans a period of 20 days, from January 28, 2025 to February 16, 2025, will feature more than 200 unique productions from 9 different countries apart from India, showcased across 11 locations in India and 2 abroad, which are Kathmandu and Colombo. International theatre groups participating in the said festival are hailing from Russia, Italy, Germany, Norway, Czech Republic, Nepal, Taiwan, Spain, and Sri Lanka.

Alongside the festival’s epicenter in Delhi, Indian satellite locations include Agartala, Ahmedabad, Bathinda, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Goa, Gorakhpur, Khairagarh and Ranchi including Jaipur.

“In continuation of NSD’s legacy, we are organising the Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2025 in two international locations this time. In the coming years, we aim to broaden the scope of this festival further, and extend it to other continents,” Shri Tripathy added.

Vikram Agarwal of Cornitos Applauds Budget’s Focus on Consumer Spending and Healthier Food Accessibility

By-Vikram Agarwal, Managing Director, Cornitos

 “The budget strategically focuses on strengthening the consumer spending and purchasing power. The proposed increase in income tax exemption slab will boost investments and consumption, which will have a positive impact on the FMCG and retail sectors. In addition, considering the growing awareness of healthier food options and the increase in the demand for nutritious food, the government’s initiative towards improving the accessibility and affordability of these essential food items in itself is a remarkable move. These significant steps along with the investments in rural infrastructure and health sectors will accelerate the overall growth of the economy.”

Teen Shark Season 2: Helping Teens Navigate the World of Finance with Smart Lessons

Teen Shark Season 2, a groundbreaking program designed to boost financial literacy among teenagers, took place on January 31st, 2025, in partnership with the Nanhagyan Foundation and Trinity International School. The event saw an enthusiastic turnout, with four teams participating and the presence of special guest Surabhii Aplesh, adding to the program’s prestige.

The primary goal of Teen Shark was to deliver practical, real-world business knowledge to young minds in an engaging format. Throughout the event, participants explored essential concepts such as marketing, pricing strategies, product development, market segmentation, packaging, and identifying target audiences. This comprehensive approach allowed teens to gain a solid understanding of the fundamentals of business.

A key highlight of this season’s program was the mentorship session led by Romal Surana, the Founder and Director of Nanhagyan Foundation. Her vast experience in business and finance gave the participants invaluable guidance, empowering them to think critically and creatively. Additionally, Rupali Damdhere, Principal of Trinity International School, played a crucial role in inspiring students to embrace entrepreneurial ventures with confidence, supporting their journey toward success.

The impact of Teen Shark Season 2 was clear from the innovative ideas and practical solutions developed by the participants. This program not only equipped the students with financial literacy but also nurtured their entrepreneurial spirit, ensuring they were well-prepared to tackle the challenges of the modern economic landscape.

Spoken Fest 2025: Shankar Mahadevan and Roshan Abbas Captivate Mumbai with Their Music and Tales

Kommune, India’s acclaimed cultural storytelling hub, concluded the two-day celebration of music, words, and everything love, Spoken Fest—Asia’s largest spoken word festival—in Mumbai on February 2nd, 2025. The evening brought together two creative powerhouses—musical virtuoso Shankar Mahadevan and the dynamic founder of Kommune India, Roshan Abbas—for an unfiltered conversation that delved into the heart of music and creative synergy.

It was an eclectic mix of storytelling and music, where Shankar Mahadevan brought together his life in music through memorable music performances and stimulating conversation. From the opening moments, Mahadevan transported the audience back to the genesis of his journey. He talked about how he was comfortable with this corporate job as well as doing music. The Grammy-winning singer took a call at the age of 26-27 to leave his job at a reputed software firm that provided a cushioned life in the USA with financial stability and pursue his passion for music full-time. He told his boss, “Sir, mujhe career change karna hain kal.” He knew that the path was foggy and the future was unstable, but without this leap of faith, Mahadevan said, he would not have been where he was today.

Both Roshan Abbas and Shankar Mahadevan took a trip down the memory lane of how, when Breathless became a raging hit, the singer did his first corporate show with Roshan, underlining the friendship that they have shared for almost 30 years.

During his music performances, Shankar was joined by the rising music star and actor Souumil Shringarpure of Bandish Bandits fame. The night came alive with breathtaking renditions of some of Mahadevan’s most iconic songs, including Breathless, Dil Chahta Hai, Mitwa, and Marathi hit Sur Niragas Ho. Each note served as a reminder of the timeless impact of his music, leaving the audience spellbound.

He also gave the audience a glimpse of his thinking process and the joy he finds when music and lyrics come together when Abbas asked him an interesting question. Roshan requested him to break down the music for an engineer, taking a deep dive into the technicalities of music, a one-of-a-kind experience to delve into the mind of the maestro.

With reference to his popular song, Mitwa, he explained to the audience, “You can deconstruct any melody to its relevant sargam. It is like any program if you break it down into its relevant, equivalent binaries. Music can represent a playground, where you can freely dance, play, and jump around. The binary layers are sargam, the lowermost layer. It is the spelling of Mitwa. If you remove the sargam, then the melody comes. When you put lyrics on the melody, it becomes a song. The application of classical music comes here. Why should you learn classical music? For the application of it, and to sing a harkat in Mitwa.”

While talking about the new wave of musicians, Shankar Mahadevan fondly reminisced about late Zakir Hussain, saying, “When I was in junior college, my dream was to meet the band members of Shakti. The most phenomenal band that pioneered taking Indian music to the next level. We used to go to a cassette store, ‘Embassy,’ in Chembur, and it was like a masterclass. I used to ask Zakir’s brother, Fazal, to make me meet Zakir Hussain and click a picture with him and Shakti. If you put it out there and manifest it very strongly, the universe definitely gives it. I ended up touring with ‘Shakti’ for 25 years. When I used to be on stage, I used to wonder if it was a dream. I just wanted to meet them, and now I am sitting on stage with them. The word ‘Tabla’ has lost its meaning after Zakir Hussain is no more.”

The singer also took the audience through the journey of how the trio, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, came together. While Shankar used to sing jingles for advertisements, Ehsaan and Loy were reputed producers already. Their frequent studio hangouts fostered a creative partnership of 30 years. He chronicled the journey from making and producing the biggest hit, Sabse Aage Honge Hindustani for a shelved film, ‘Dus’, to not having any contractual relationship for all these years. It is sheer love, friendship, and respect for each other’s ideas that has kept the trio going!

Shankar Mahadevan also gave a memorable performance of Breathless, which gave him fame when it came out in 1988. He talked about how the song came about during an intellectually intense conversation with Javed Akhtar. Before ending up performing the song not once but twice, on public demand underscoring the enthusiasm that the audience at the festival brought during the session.

Furthermore, he also gave a glimpse into the success of Shankar Mahadevan Academy, which uplifts the spirits of people who struggle with illness, pain, or a lonely heart with the power of music and partners with hospitals, care centres, and senior-citizen communities to stage free online concerts by musicians.