UMAK

UMAK Centre for Culture

Khan Sahab Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan, the legend passed away in the year 1989 at the age of 79. During his lifetime, he had tried to maintain a tradition of Indian Classical Music music and never compromised with his tradition for mere public applause.

To propagate his ideals and his music, the UMAK Centre for Culture was registered in the year 1993. The Centre hopes that the abiding values which Ustad Mushtak Ali Khan Sahab so assiduously believed in, might be assimilated and be of benefit to the future generation, desirous of learning music and playing it with restraint and purity.

We are grateful to the lovers of Khan's Sahab's music and to those who have inspired us to institute this Centre.

In 1994, the Centre succeeded in releasing a book entitled ‘Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan and Indian Music'. This was released by Pandit Bhim Sen Joshi and published by Har Anand Publications. The entire cost, without any outside support, was borne by the admirers and students of Sitar Maestro Pandit Debu Chaudhuri, one of the foremost students of Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan and the Founder Secretary of UMAK Centre for Culture.

The Centre has released some CD recordings and 2 books on music. Amongst it's many welfare activities, the Centre has also helped the deserving artists financially who are in a distressed condition. Amongst it's cultural activities which are undertaken throughout the year, UMAK Centre for Culture has by now presented more than 8 Big Music Festivals presenting both upcoming and renowned artists notable amongst them being Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Ustad Bismillah Khan, Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, Pandit Birju Maharaj, Mr. Sivamani, Mr. Louis Banks and many others in the field. On the 3rd of June2005, the Centre celebrated the 70th birthday of it's Founder Secretary, Pandit Debu Chaudhuri at Kamani Auditorium which featured a concert by Smt. Shubha Mudgal and a Special concert by Pandit Debu Chaudhuri accompanied by Pandit Kishan Maharaj. The Centre has also got a new Pan No. AAATU 1218 J from the Income Tax Department.

To further the ideals of the late Ustad, the Delhi Administration granted a piece of land measuring 946 square metres at the Jasola area behind Apollo Hospital , Delhi . Seeing the philanthropic work done by this institute, which is of a Charitable nature, being a non profit organization, the administration granted us official permission to collect donations under the 80G scheme of Income Tax,

At present the main obstacle we are facing is with respect to the finance to fund the construction of the building. We have got a nominal bank balance with the help of the Delhi Administration. We are appealing to all , including the admirers of Khan Sahab's music, like minded individuals, institutions, the Central Govt., Semi Government institutions, Corporates and others to come forward and help us with their kind contribution to build this unique Centre, extending their positive support to build this unique Centre. This will help us in keeping Khan Sahab's memory alive for the future generations. We request you to kindly come forward and help us financially and also otherwise to accomplish the mission which is to have the building first, so that we can keep the music of this great Maestro of the country alive. The Centre is presently functioning from J –1852, Chittaranjan Park , New Delhi-19, till we get the new building.

Aims and Objectives of UMAK Centre

• To propagate and promote traditional Indian Classical Music.
• To advance, promote and disseminate the study and education of Classical Music
• To document compositions and create an archive for music.
• To propagate, document and preserve the music of Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan and rare compositions of Senia Gharana.
• To carry on research work on Indian Music, with special emphasis on Indian Classical Music.
• To promote national integration and communal harmony
• To establish institutions, hold classes for the teaching and training of classical music free of cost for the highly talented students.
• To acquire, take over, carry on and maintain affiliation or otherwise with music colleges, schools, and allied institutions.
• To organize cultural functions annually in different parts of India as well as in foreign countries.
• To hold Charitable functions for a cause.
• To create a Trust or to provide financial assistance to any Trust, which has been created for achieving the same object as that of this society.
• To popularize traditional music amongst the masses.
• To help needy and deserving students with musical talent and artists.
• To facilitate outstation artists for accommodation.
• To sponsor upcoming artists with grant, scholarship, financial assistance and provide platform for them to combine music with theory and conduct regular lecture demonstrations.
• To distribute prizes or institute awards for the promotion of classical music and dance.
• To construct, maintain, alter, improve and develop buildings and to purchase take on lease or otherwise acquire, to sell, give on lease, exchange or otherwise transfer or dispose off all moveable or immoveable property for the Society.
• To construct a mini auditorium and a sound studio and to give this on hire to outsiders for organizing any function or recordings if feasible.
• To establish libraries, reading rooms for the dissemination of knowledge and to provide assistance to poor and deserving persons by way of providing them books.
• To provide financial assistance to persons desirous of spreading the cause of Indian Music in foreign countries or in India by means of providing them financial assistance for going abroad or elsewhere
• To provide free training o poor talented students.
• To open an International House for foreign students for further exchange of research work on music.