THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, SEPTEMBER 5, 2026

The 32nd Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra (GKCM) Award Festival opened here on Saturday with a captivating Hindustani vocal recital by celebrated vocalist Vidushi Shubha Mudgal, setting an evocative musical tone for the five-day cultural extravaganza.

Organised by Srjan – Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Nrityabasa in collaboration with Sri Sri University (SSU), Cuttack, the festival is being held at Rabindra Mandap from September 5 to 9, with performances beginning at 7 p.m. each evening. This year’s edition assumes special significance as it coincides with the birth centenary celebrations of the revered Odissi exponent Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra.

The inaugural evening commenced with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp in the presence of veteran singer and music luminary Pt. Anup Jalota; former Member, Board of Revenue, Government of Odisha, and Independent External Monitor, HAL, Ashok Kumar Tripathy; Chief Managing Director, MGM Minerals Ltd., Pankaj Lochan Mohanty; Vice-Chancellor of SSU, Prof. Tej Partap; and Guru Ratikant Mohapatra, Director, Srjan and Dean, Faculty of Arts, Communication and Indic Studies, SSU.

Mudgal then took the audience on an immersive musical journey with two compositions in Raag Bageshri. She opened with a vilambit composition in Rupak Taal centred on the birth of Lord Krishna. The evocative lyrics, “Mangal Gao Mai Aaj Lal Ko Janm Dyosai, Baajat Rang Badhaai,” filled the auditorium with a devotional warmth.

She followed it with a madhyalaya composition in Teen Taal, “Khelan Mangat Chaand Kanhayi,” composed by her revered guru Pt. Ramashreya Jha ‘Ramrang’. The composition brought alive the devotional spirit of Krishna Janmashtami while allowing the audience to savour the intricate contours of Raag Bageshri.

The vocalist, widely regarded as one of India’s leading exponents of Hindustani classical music, subsequently explored the expansive landscape of Raag Gaur Malhar before moving through the nuanced worlds of Khayal, Thumri and Dadra. Her recital reflected the breadth of her musical vocabulary, marked by imagination, tonal richness and stylistic finesse.

A recipient of the Padma Shri and the Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award, Mudgal turned the opening recital into a compelling lesson in Hindustani vocal music. Her powerful yet finely nuanced voice found an assured rhythmic anchor in the tabla accompaniment of Dr. Aneesh Pradhan, while Sudhir Nayak enriched the recital with his harmonium, and Nilima Pradhan provided the tanpura accompaniment. Nitin Joshi was the Chief Sound Engineer. The proceedings were conducted seamlessly by Mrutyunjaya Rath.

With nearly five decades devoted to Hindustani vocal music, Mudgal drew upon her vast repertoire to provide a fitting inauguration to a festival that celebrates the enduring legacy of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra and the richness of India’s classical arts.

The festival continues on Sunday with a sarod recital by Pt. Tejendra Narayan Majumdar, accompanied by Satyajit Talwalkar on tabla, followed by a solo Odissi recital by Lipsa Satapathy.

Designed under the vision and meticulous direction of Guru Ratikant Mohapatra, the festival is coordinated by Debiprasad Mishra. The 32nd GKCM Award Festival 2026 is supported by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and the Department of OLLC, Government of Odisha.