About The Event
The Shriram Shankarlal Music Festival (SSMFL), organised by Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra, returns from 6–8 March 2026 at the Kendra’s Open Air Arena, New Delhi. For over seventy years, the festival has remained committed to the disciplined and dignified presentation of Indian classical music. Founded in 1947 by Smt. Sumitra Charat Ram, during a pivotal moment in India’s cultural history, it was envisioned as a serious platform rooted in artistic integrity, lineage, and depth—principles that continue to guide its curation. The 2026 edition presents a carefully balanced program featuring both established maestros and emerging talent. Highlights include Ramana Balachandhran, Siddhartha Belmannu, and sarod exponent Tejendra Narayan Majumdar on the opening day. Day two features Sawani Shende, flautist Shashank Subramanyam, and a special guru–shishya presentation by Sajan Mishra with Swaransh Mishra. A Sunday morning session showcases Madhup Mudgal and Biswajit Roy Chowdhury, followed by an evening finale with Lokesh Anand, Shashwati Mandal, and the distinguished duo Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan and Pt. Anindo Chatterjee. Historically, the festival has hosted icons such as Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan, Bismillah Khan, M.S. Subbulakshmi, and Siddheshwari Devi, many recipients of India’s highest honours. Its enduring stature rests not on scale but on curatorial rigor and intergenerational continuity. Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra, founded in 1947 and located at Mandi House, remains dedicated to the promotion of Indian classical music and dance, sustaining a legacy of performance, pedagogy, and cultural preservation.
