While searching ‘classic’ voice, Durga Jasraj finds Indian music prospering

Durga Jasraj expects more from Nagpur. Even if she was happy as over 150
classical music enthusiasts have registered themselves from the city at the auditions of the Idea Jalsa talent hunt launched jointly by her
company Art & Artistes and Indian Music Academy (IMA), she was waiting for a ‘miraculously outstanding’ performer to come and win the stage. “As Central India is infrequently visited by legendary musicians, I hope some self-developed
unusual, unique talent will come to fore,” said daughter of the legendary Pandit Jasraj while speaking exclusively to Chaitanyya Deshpande.

Yes. Celebrity children often have to face the unnecessary comparison with their parents. But on the other hand, they grow up with the dynamism, confidence, approach and wit as ancestral gifts. When Durga Jasraj interacts fluently in English, Hindi, and even in Marathi, the impact of two of India’s most prominent artistic families – the Jasrajs and the Shantarams can be felt everywhere.
All for classical music
Music, cinema, television, albums, live performances, event management, and now India’s first classical music-based talent hunt. Even much more she does. Now, in her own right, Durga Jasraj is a producer and organiser who has been making phenomenal contribution to the Indian classical music - more so with her business acumen and organising skills. Years before, she did Zee TV’s Antakshari show, and people still remember her for the same.
Unlike the other stalwarts of classical music, she joined commercial industry. But her aim was different. “Yes. I decided to become famous by getting popular on TV, so that I can be able to accumulate enough influence to obtain support for my efforts to reinforce and promote the classical tradition,” she explained. Years passed after Antakshari, and now, ‘Jalsa’ is here. One more step in her journey aiming towards the prosperity of Indian Classical music. Let’s take a look, what happened during this journey until now.
Art and Artistes
Teaming up with Vikram Shankar, Durga Jasraj founded Art and Artistes India Pvt Ltd, which is into event management, TV software, and producing devotional albums. This company ventured into everything musical – from live theme concerts, music festivals to concept albums. The programme of live performances by legendary classical music exponents, held under ‘Jalsa’ title, received overwhelming response all over India. A well-liked TV series was also made on this concept and telecast on Doordarshan. Expanding the same, now she wants to go into common people and search hidden talent from them.
Indian Music Academy
In 2000, a body for classical musicians called IMA (Indian Music Academy) was formed. It went on to organising world-class concerts and concepts such as Golden Voice Golden Years, Utsav, Jalsa, Tiranga and Cult Fusion. “It’s a body of musicians and it has patrons like Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma, Pt Jasraj, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Lata Mangeshkar, Ustad Zakir Hussain,” she said. One of the main objectives is to popularise classical music.
Efforts bearing fruits
When asked about the response by youths and future of Indian Classical Music, Durga quoted her father Pandit Jasraj who used to say that present generation is very enthusiastic, responsible and even more intelligent than old folks. Informing that 60 per cent of the audience of Jalsa live in concerts were youths under 35 years, she lamented that media is reluctant to highlight such good things with classical music. Yet, she concluded in her father’s words “Our heritage is in safe hands.”