Page 32 - Mann Ki Baat (English)

Music transcends All – this is the motto
that drives GEETANJALI IISc, a Hindustani
classical music group that was formed
a decade ago at the Indian Institute of
Science (IISc), Bengaluru. Today, it remains
the foundation on which the group nurtures
the spirit of music and culture at IISc. What
started as a modest attempt to share her
love for classical music by Geeta Ananth,
has grown from four students to a thriving
community of music enthusiasts of all
ages, from four to 85.
"Music does transcend all in our group,"
Geeta Ananth, the founder of GEETANJALI
IISc, once mentioned in an interview to
Connect, IISc’s quarterly magazine. "We do
Prof. Govindan not see anything other than interest and
Rangarajan passion for and in music. There is nothing
Director, Indian Institute else that matters – age, gender, religion,
of Science (IISc) how much music you already know … none
of these matters."
GEETANJALI IISc’s members come from
Geetanjali a wide variety of backgrounds – students,
faculty members, their spouses and
IISc children. Three decades ago, Geeta walked
into the IISc campus after having spent
Spreading the love her life living across the country because
of her father's job with the Indian Railways.
When her husband, Ananth Ramaswamy
(now Chair of the Department of Civil
Engineering), took up a faculty position
at IISc, she moved to Bengaluru with him.
Having experienced constant change, little
did Geeta realise that she would set deep
roots here on campus. There was one
motivating factor: her great passion for
music.
Geeta started Hindustani music classes
in 2001, with less than a handful of people
at her house. “With a few of my students
and with the support and blessings of my
family and gurus, we started the group

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