Bihar to have university devoted to fine arts; proposal likely in budget

Bihar could be on its way to

have a university devoted exclusively to study on fine arts, including music, with the government giving in-principle approval for the Rs 300 crore project.

According to noted musician Neetu Kumari Nutan, this was revealed at a meeting, chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Tarkishor Prasad, in the state capital last week wherein distinguished persons from various walks of life were invited to offer their suggestions for the state budget.

"I was delighted when Art, Culture and Youth department principal secretary Ravi B Parmar said the upcoming state budget will contain a proposal for the Kala Vishwavidyala," Nutan, a Sangeet Natak Akademi member who was one of the attendees of the meeting, told PTI.

The state budget is scheduled to be tabled before the assembly on February 22.

"The site for the proposed university will be decided once the budgetary approval is received," a state government source said.

Nutan, a doctorate in music, claimed that the announcement was a fruition of her efforts. She has endeavours to restore the pristine glory of Bhojpuri folk music which has of late been associated with sleaze.

The musician disclosed that at the pre-budget meeting held last year which was chaired by the then Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi who held the post as well as the finance portfolio for nearly a decade and a half, she had submitted a written proposal for setting up a "Kala Vishwavidyalaya".

"I contended that such a university will greatly enhance the state's soft power besides being feasible from the point of view of revenue generation.

"Serious students of arts from far and wide would be visiting Bihar to pursue their researches just like they throng Prayag Sangeet Samiti and the Chandigarh-based Pracheen Kala Kendra," said Nutan whose many laurels include 'Lokvid Samman', conferred in 2019 by the Prayagraj-based North Central Zonal Centre for Culture (NCZCC), which is controlled by the Union ministry for culture.

"In the progress of any country, its cultural wealth plays an intangible but substantial role. My sincere thanks to Sushil Modi and Tarkishor Prasad. I am also thankful to ministers for culture and tourism, Mangal Pandey and Jivesh Kumar respectively, who were among those present at the meeting last week and had shown enthusiasm for the proposed project," the musician added.