Raj Dutta

NAVAL SYMPHONIC BAND DISPLAY

Music and Rhythm find their way into the secret places of the Soul – Plato

A marching band works harder than a Football team

--Kathleen Alcock

A military band is not proud because it performs well, it performs well because it's proud – George Parks

Military regiments the world over are proud of their martial bands and vice-versa. Every soldier of a platoon marches erect with pride in perfect synchronous harmonics to the sonorous beats of the musical band.

The genesis of Indian Navy Band dates back to the Royal Indian Navy when it was formed with a handful of musicians. Today the Indian Navy boasts of a number of trained musicians in various bands across our country. The Indian Naval Band has regaled and enthralled audiences of not only our country but around the world by their spectacular performances. The Bands accompanying our warships sailing abroad for goodwill visits playing in ensemble to the bands of host nations, act truly as effective Ambassadors of our great country. Indian Naval Band has distinguished itself through many international performances, noteworthy amongst these have been the Queen’s coronation in the Statue of Liberty, the Australian Bi-centennial celebrations, the President’s Fleet Review in USA and International Fleet Review in Australia. In the recent past, the Indian Naval Band has participated in the prestigious Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo at Scotland and the Russian Federation Navy Day.

As a runup to the Navy Day, the first event programmed was the Indian Navy Symphonic Band Concert at 1715 hrs on 10^th Nov at NCPA, Nariman Point, organised by INS Kunjali. A list of 90 names of Veterans with their spouses was forwarded to HQWNC a month in advance and the organisers despatched entry passes to all Veterans well in time, albeit the organisers were kind to include names of more veterans till the final day and sent an e-invite to them. The parking around the NCPA was well organised.

The almost house full Jamshed Bhabha Auditorium (capacity about 500) had an equal number of serving officers and veterans with their spouses and a few civilian dignitaries. Among the Senior Veterans who graced the occasion, it was an honour to meet two of our former CNS Adm L Ramdas and Adm VS Shekhawat and their good ladies. We had enough time to meet and greet each other prior to the arrival of our Chief Guest VAdm Ajit Kumar P, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Western Naval Command. Lt Gaurav Kaushik welcomed the Chief Guest and Audience to this grand extravaganza and invited on stage the mesmerising TV commentator and Media Diva Ms Komal GB Singh to host the spectacular Show.

The Indian Navy Symphonic Band Concert captured the hearts and minds of all present as the musicians regaled an eclectic audience one performance after another with a wide repertoire of stirring martial music, arrangements of Western classical, Indian classical and other forms of contemporary popular arrangements. It commenced with the Fanfare titled ‘Vande Mataram’ composed by J Bhattacharya and arranged by Manoj Sebastian, that was followed by Beautiful Danube, Flying Fancy, Phantom of the Opera, Jagjit Singh’s Hey Ram, Fantasia, Set Fire to the Rain, Film Scores Medley and culminating in the Patriotic Tri-Sevices Song ‘Jai Bharti’ that raised everyone's goose-pimples. Cdr Vijay D’Cruz, Director of Music, Indian Navy himself conducted some arrangements. The Cohost Ms Komal GB Singh’s mesmerising voice and presentation in perfect diction added aroma and flavour to the entire an hour-long musical fanfare. After the show, the C-in-C felicitated the musicians, presenters, conductors and the Cohosts on stage that was followed by the National Anthem.

It was a great pleasure to meet and greet the Veterans and guests over Tea and snacks at the NCPA Auditorium’s Lounge after the show. Cdr Vijay Vadhera, President NFMC on behalf of all Veterans personally thanked the C-in-C for the magnificent evening and later spent time with Cmde Rishi Raj (CO Kunjali) and the organising officers of the grand show, Capt Sameer Kala and Capt BS Jakhar. Kudos to INS Kunjali and the Sword Arm of Indian Navy, the Western Naval Command.

Shano Varuna….Jai Hind

MEENA, MRS PRATIMA RAI & DR KANTA MUKHERJEE

CMDE & MRS MIKE BHADA WITH MEENA

MEENA WITH CDR VK RAIZADA

CDR V VADHERA with our C-in-C

About the Author

Commander Rajinder Dutta (Retd) has been a Naval Pilot and a Qualified Flying Instructor with about 3000 hrs of flying on various fixed-wing Aircraft of Indian Navy, viz HT-2, HPT-32, Kirans, Islander, Super Connie, Fokker F-27 and IL-38.

He is the Hon. Secy of NFMC, a Master of Ceremonies and an avid blogger.