SFL MD Rajiv Lochan (extreme left) and former MD TT Srinivasaraghavan with artistes

Sunday Kutcheri in the Park was re- launched on April 3 after a hiatus of two years at the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore by Rajiv Lochan, Managing Director, Sundaram Finance.

The monthly mikeless kutcheri had been organised on the first Sunday of every month for 14 years from February 2006. The Pandemic and the lockdown restrictions in its wake meant that the event could not be held for two years from April 2020.

Former MD of Sundaram Finance, TT Srinivasaraghavan, who was instrumental in the launch of the Sunday Kutcheri in the Park in February 2006, was also present on the occasion. Looking back at the decade-and-a-half of the mikeless kutcheri, he said, “I am delighted to be back at the Nageswara Rao Park after two long years for the resumption of the Sunday Kutcheri in the Park. This platform has served as a launch pad for several budding talents over the past several years and I look forward to many more of them commencing their musical journeys from this unique and charming environ to the accompaniment of chirping birds and rustling leaves.”

“I vividly recall the inaugural kutcheri back in the year 2006 and it is my fond hope that we will continue to attract exciting young talent like Viswanathan who presented a flute recital this morning,” he added.

A flute recital

On the occasion of the re-launch, 12-year-old P. Viswanathan, a student of Hindu Senior Secondary School, Adyar, presented a one-hour Kutcheri between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. at the chess square of the Nageswara Rao Park. He has been learning from Chittoor K. Pathanjali.

 Viswanathan was accompanied on the violin by Chittoor A. Giridhar, a disciple of C.K. Anand, and on the mridangam by B. Sai Sundar, a disciple of Prapancham Ravindran.

Viswanathan presented songs that included Muthuswami Dikshithar’s Maha Ganapathim, Oothukadu Venkatasubiyer’s Alaipayuthe Kanna, Thyagarajar’s Ninnuvinna and Vasudevayanni, Bharathiyar’s Chinnanchiru Kiliye, Rajaji’s Kurai Onrum Illai and Purandaradasar’s Bagyadha Lakshmi Bharamma.

Committed to the monthly kutcheri series

Reaffirming his commitment to the monthly kutcheri series, Rajiv Lochan said, “Sundaram Finance is committed to continuing the monthly Sunday Kutcheri in the Park series at the Nageswara Rao Park providing opportunities to talented artistes. In the first 14 years, the mikeless kutcheris had served as a stepping stone for many budding youngsters and our endeavour is to provide opportunities to children aged below 15 to showcase their musical talent and help them gain confidence by performing in an informal setting with the

audience sitting around the Chess Square of the Nageswara Rao Park.”

Mr. Srinivasaraghavan handed over certificates and mementos to the artistes at the end of the Kutcheri.

Sundaram Finance conducts audition to select the artistes. To register, email: sundaykutcheri@sundaramfinance.in