TNIE impact: CM intervenes, wants Ustad Amjad Ali Khan school to be reality

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After TNIE reported on sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan’s decision to drop his plan for an international music school at Veli here, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has intervened in the matter to ensure the project becomes a reality. The chief minister’s office contacted former Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi chairman Soorya Krishnamoorthy, who had officially communicated the maestro’s decision to the authorities, urging him not to back out from the project.

In a report published on Friday (January 15) titled ‘Put off by govt’s sour note, Amjad Ali Khan drops music school project’, TNIE had said the legendary musician’s decision came in the wake of a new set of terms put forward by the state government.

According to the report, the government had proposed a huge annual lease amount for the two-acre land earmarked in Veli tourism village, in addition to demanding the inclusion of four government representatives in the proposed institute’s seven- member governing body. “The chief minister is very much interested in the project and doesn’t want this file to be closed yet.

He has asked officials to hold further meetings with the ustad and myself to ensure it is realised,” said Krishnamoorthy. Though the previous UDF government had decided to hand over the land for free, the project got entangled in red tape after the LDF came to power. The foundation stone was laid in 2016, but little progress was made. Recently, the authorities came up with a new set of terms including the lease amount.