Matters India Reporter

Kolkata, 22 November 2019 — It is rare that a Police Officer entertains city’s elite music aficionados. It happened at the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) when it held an unique evening when Officer Indrajit Basu enthralled the audience with his flute recital on 22 November 2019.

Shri Soumen Sarkar accompanied flautist Indrajit Basu on tabla for the Indian Flute evening which started at 6.00 pm at Satyajit Ray Auditorium of Rabindranath Tagore Centre at ICCR Kolkata.

By profession a Police Officer under West Bengal Government, Indrajit Basu is presently posted as Additional Superintendent of Police (Zonal) Baruipur Police District, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal since February 2019.

Officer Basu, does his riwaz daily despite strict constraints of his job.

“I am keeping a steady balance between my passion in Indian Classical Music and my profession as Govt Officer,” says flautist Basu who is blessed with constant encouragement and support from his senior officers in pursuing musical passion.

The Officer adds, “I continue to explore North Indian Classical Music by regular riwaz of the Ragas, by stage performances both solo and jugalbandis-with instruments like Sarode-Santoor-Sitar-Shehnai-Violin-Sarengi and with vocals as introduced by my guruji the late Pandit Nikhilesh Roy of Rabindra Bharati University.

“It was in deed a mesmerizing evening which had me glued spellbound,” said Indian National Forum for Art and Culture Secretary Mr Subrata Ganguly who presented Basu with a memento of decorative conch shell.

“Truly amazing to see that a Police Officer of his standing could be equally be an ace flautist,” said ICCR Director Mr Gautam De IFS.

Basu had the opportunity to perform in some of the programs where eminent artistes like Ustad Zakir Hussain, Pandit Tejendranarayan Majumder, Pandit Bishwamohon Bhatt, Ustad Rashid Khan, Ustad Shahid Parvez graced the on stage performances.