SPIC MACAY at loggerheads with Pandit Shivputra

The tipping point that led to their face-off was when the Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture allegedly printed invites to a concert in Nagpur on June 4, stating Shivputra’s participation, without actually inviting him

Kicker: No show at Nagpur

Pune, India - March 29, 2023: Pandit Mukul Shivputra, son of Pandit Kumar Gandharva, during an interview at Rithwik Foundation For Performing Arts, Kothrud, in Pune, India, on Wednesday, March 29, 2023. (Photo by Pratham Gokhale/Hindustan Times) (Pratham Gokhale/HT Photo)

Mumbai: Pandit Mukul Shivputra and the Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth (SPIC MACAY), an organization that promotes music among the youth, are at loggerheads. The tipping point that led to their face-off was when the cultural organization allegedly printed invites to a concert in Nagpur on June 4, stating Shivputra’s participation, without actually inviting him.

This, according to the renowned vocalist of the Gwalior gharana and Pandit Kumar Gandharva’s son, was not the first time that SPIC MACAY had printed invites to a concert putting his name along with other classical music luminaries, in such a manner. The cultural organization has been known for its cavalier act, he said, for over 20 years. SPIC MACAY’s phone call to Shivputra’s organization, Gandharva Sabha, a day before the Nagpur event to confirm his participation, triggered the Pune-based artiste to dash off a complaint to the union government about the organization “maligning” his name.

The invitation card for the Nagpur concert, organized in collaboration with ministries of Culture, Education, Tourism and Youth Affairs and Sports also carried the G20 logo, and Shivputra’s name featured along with Carnatic and Hindustani music stalwarts.

“I have been getting a series of complaints about SPIC MACAY and its founder Dr Kiran Sheth and his colleagues like Rashmi Malik. The organisers have routinely claimed that I accept their invitation at various venues and as I fail to turn up, they incur losses. They publish my name along with a picture, but in reality, Spic-macay has never sent me any invitation,” Shivputra wrote in his three-page complaint written in Hindi, addressed to all the central ministries.

He said as a result of this, large number of people who come to a concert expecting him to perform go away disappointed, which is not just an affront to him “but also my father the Late Kumar Gandharva, causing me much pain”.

The maverick musician, widely acknowledged as the true heir of Pandit Kumar Gandharva, said he is very disciplined about his concerts and performances, but as a “result of SPIC MACAY’s schemes, I end up being projected as indiscplined and whimsical”.

“My name and pictures were used for the programme in Nagpur without my consent,” he reiterated. “I work with many organizations based in Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Bhopal etc. All of them seek an artiste’s written or email consent before making further plans,” said the 67-year-old vocalist.

Shivputra has a loyal fan following of classical music lovers across the country, and one of his Nagpur-based admirers texted him soon after learning about the concert, promising to meet. “My message surprised Mukulji. He was not aware of any concert in Nagpur, although his name and photographs were prominently displayed in the city on hoardings, and at the venue. It was such a disappointment to learn that he was not performing,” said the woman, who wished to remain anonymous.

Radha Mohan Tiwari, national chairperson of SPIC MACAY, insisted that Shivputra had indeed consented to the recent performance but was later unavailable. He said, “What does SPIC MACAY stand to gain by maligning any artiste? We invited many artistes at our convention in Nagpur; some could not turn up for various reasons. For example, an artiste lost her close family member just a day before her scheduled programme – we had her name on our posters too.”

He added that Dr Kiran Seth, the founder of the organization, had “sent a personal apology to Mukul ji on June 4, through Priya ji, as Mukul ji was unreachable.”