Dr. Kiran Seth, Founder, Spic Macay
Dr. Kiran Seth, distinguished founder of SPIC MACAY (The Society for Promoting Indian Classical Music and Culture among Youth) and Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering at IIT Delhi spoke to SRM AP students on the guiding philosophy behind his organisation and the broader role it plays in shaping minds. “What we want to do,” he said, “is to take you on a journey to help you become whatever you want to be – but much, much better.”
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Spic Macay presentation at SRM AP
For many of the students it was their first introduction to an organization that has been a household name in India for the past 40 years.
The presentation was attended by SRM AP Vice Chancellor Dr. Jamshed Bharucha, Prof. Vijaysekhar Chellaboina, Associate Dean, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, SRM AP faculty, and Spic Macay representatives Kona Lakshmi and Jaywant Naidu.
SRM AP Prof. Srabani Basu praised Dr. Seth, describing him as a true apostle of music and Spic Macay as not just an NGO promoting music but a movement defined by passion and conviction.
Kallol Biswas, an active member of Spic Macay highlighted the need to preserve India’s fast vanishing traditions and how the organization does its part by introducing thousands of young students in remote schools and colleges across the country to the richness of Indian arts and culture – classical music performances, workshops, folk dance, handicrafts, and film screenings.
In 2016-17 alone, the organization held 3,000 events at over 360 venues from J&K to Kerala, from Dubai and Hong Kong to the US.
This extensive schedule is made possible by a network of volunteers operating from its various venues, chapters and clubs. The big draw of Spic Macay on campuses are the performances by the finest Indian classical musicians and dancers. But as Kona Lakshmi pointed out, volunteerism is at the heart of their success. “All of us come from different backgrounds – entrepreneurs, writers, accountants, research scholars – we are trying to contribute to Dr. Seth’s movement, one that has touched so many lives.’ This point was elaborated earlier by Dr. Seth when he spoke of setting up a Spic Macay club at SRM AP and how volunteering brings an added dimension to the student’s education and improves their primary academic pursuits.