Young classical performers continue to struggle to find a listening ear

Groups such as Baithak are springing up in every city and a fair number of institutions and corporate donors are involved in the support of Indian classical music

In a school, a short distance away from where the annual Sawai Gandharva festival is held in Pune, a small group of musicians is talking to a classroom full of boys and girls about Indian classical music. Had they heard of a singer, perhaps, or about an instrument? A young boy raises his hand. His reply: Honey Singh.
 
The answer hits Mandar Karanjikar, the man asking the question, like a whiplash. But it is not really a surprise, says Karanjikar, an engineer and a classical vocalist: if the children don’t hear classical music, how will they know it? Mandar,