Indian taste ! Indian Civil Aviation Ministry issues advisory to play Indian music in flights and at airports after ICCR request !!

Leave an Indian Cultural taste in Aviation !

To promote the Indian Culture through transport inductry , the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has sent an advisory to domestic airlines and airport operators urging them to conside playing Indian music, that include classical, folk, light vocal, and instrumentals, inside the aircraft cabins and airport premises.

• Civil aviation ministry has cited a request by Indian Council of Cultural Research to play Indian music at airports and inside aircrafts operated in the country.
• Indian carriers usually play standard piped music in aircraft when boarding and de-boarding passengers and some airlines play specially designed brand tunes or songs.
• Many Indian news agencies say, it is sad to note that the chance of playing Indian music is very less likely in these aircraft.
   

The letter dated 27th December , written by Usha Padhee, joint secretary at MoCA (Ministry of Civil Aviation, India) , is addressed to all airline and airport operators, civil aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and Airports Authority of India's chairman Sanjeev Kumar, cites a request by Indian Council of Cultural Research (ICCR) to play Indian music at airports and inside aircrafts operated in India.

The letter wanted to highlight the content as below,

"Music played by most of the airlines across the globe is quintessential of the country to which the airline belongs, for example, jazz in American airlines or Mozart in Austrian airlines and Arab music in an airline from the Middle East," the letter said.

"But Indian airlines seldom play Indian music in the flight, whereas, our music has a rich heritage and culture and it is one of the many things every Indian has a reason for (being) truly proud of it," the letter added.

However , some critics want further clarification on the letter ! whether the advisory wants promotion of classical music of various locations across India, folk songs or popular music to be played.

Where did the initiative come from ?

ICCR took the Initiative ! Indian Council for Cultural Relations Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) is an autonomous organisation of the Indian government which involves in India's cultural relations with other countries and cultural exchange. It was founded in 1950 by Abul Kalam Azad.

On December 23rd , Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had visited ICCR headquarters in New Delhi, from where he received a memorandum of promoting Indian music in airlines.

ICCR wrote a letter in which they mentioned the negligence of private and government-owned airlines towards Indian music and the importance of playing Indian music in airlines.

The ICCR request letter read , "..It is extremely unfortunate and even ironical that most airways in India.....seldom if at all play Indian music." 

As a current practice, the carriers in India play standard western instrumental music inside the aircraft at the time or boarding and deboarding , but music inside the Airport vary based on location.