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FM Sitharaman releases ₹250 commemorative coin on Muthuswami Dikshitar’s 250th birth anniversary
Addressing the gathering, Sitharaman spoke about the rich heritage of Carnatic music and Dikshitar’s contribution to it. She also discussed the distinctive features of his veena and his association with Kashi, where he had stayed.
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Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday released a ₹250 commemorative coin marking the 250th birth anniversary of Muthuswami Dikshitar, one of the celebrated composers of Carnatic music and a member of the Carnatic Trinity, at IIT (BHU), Varanasi.
She also unveiled Amara Guruguham Potruvam, a book documenting the life, philosophy and musical contributions of the legendary composer.
Addressing the gathering, Sitharaman spoke about the rich heritage of Carnatic music and Dikshitar’s contribution to it. She also discussed the distinctive features of his veena and his association with Kashi, where he had stayed.
She stressed the importance of passing India’s musical and cultural heritage on to younger generations and appreciated IIT (BHU) for organising the event.
BHU vice-chancellor Prof Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi spoke about the significance of the occasion, while IIT (BHU) director Prof Amit Patra highlighted Dikshitar’s contribution to Indian classical music.
The programme featured Carnatic music performances by vocalist Dr Sumitra Vasudev and veena player Ramana Balachandran, accompanied by Ganapatiraman on the mridangam and L Ramakrishnan on the violin.
Commemorative coins are issued to mark special occasions, personalities or monuments. Unlike regular currency, they are not meant for general circulation. The ₹250 coin can be purchased through the India Government Mint website but cannot be used for regular transactions.
