Air travelers in India could soon be greeted with traditional music of the country at airport premises and while boarding the aircraft. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has asked Indian carriers to consider playing Indian music following a request by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations on December 23rd.
Aviation ministry calls for Indian music
Boarding music, in a subtle way, can add to the overall flight experience. Pleasant and carefully selected music while boarding an aircraft can calm nervous fliers and sometimes even stays with us, bringing back memories of a nice holiday.
On Monday, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) asked all airports and carriers in the country to consider opting for Indian music in airplanes and terminal premises. A letter written by MoCA joint Secretary Usha Padhee went out to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Airports Authority of India (AAI) asking them to consider the suggestion, stating,
“…music played by most of the airlines across the globe was in quintessential of the country to which the airline belongs…But, Indian airlines seldom play Indian music in the flight, whereas, our music has a rich heritage and culture and it has one of the many things every Indian has a reason for truly proud of it.”
The letter also highlighted multiple genres of Indian music that could form the basis of the music selected by the carriers, should they choose to go with the suggestion, stating,
“Owing to India’s vastness and diversity, Indian music encompasses numerous genres in multiple varieties and forms, which include classical music, folk, light vocal, instrumental music, etc.”
What prompted the suggestion?
The letter by MoCA was issued following a request by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR). On December 23rd, India’s Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia visited the ICCR headquarters and met its president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe.
Among the various things discussed during the meeting was to promote Indian music in flights operated by Indian carriers. Scindia, who became the aviation minister quite recently, took on Sahasrabuddhe’s suggestion, and a formal letter was issued to the DGCA, AAI, and copied to all airlines and airport operators.
Commitment and Responsiveness are the parents of prompt action!Happy to share that having heard the plea of @iccr_hq and music fraternity @MoCA_GoI led by @JM_Scindia has issued an advisory on playing Indian music in aeroplanes and also in airport premises!Thx @narendramodi ji! pic.twitter.com/5zobII1TZp
— Dr. VINAY Sahasrabuddhe (@Vinay1011) December 28, 2021
Some of India’s top artists and musicians were present at the meeting, including Anu Malik, Malini Awasthi, Rita Ganguly, and Wasifuddin Dagar.
It appears that airlines in India are still free to choose the boarding music of their choice as the letter seems only to make a suggestion and doesn’t include any deadlines.
Music inside airplanes can often be an important part of an airline’s brand identity, so the carriers are likely to give it considerable thought before making any changes. We’ll have to wait and see how many go ahead with the suggestion.
What are your thoughts on the suggestion made by India’s aviation ministry? How important is boarding music to you? Do you have any favorites? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
