British Indian musician fronts BBC's new musical travelogue

A first-of-its-kind music-focused travelogue which explores the diverse musical traditions of India, from devotional to folk, from classical to Bollywood and pop, will be aired on BBC World News from Saturday.

The three-part series called 'Rhythms of India' will be presented by British Indian sarod virtuoso Soumik Datta, who will delve into the unique role music plays in the country as he covers the cities of Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi and Pune, as well as some lesser-known locations.

The show follows the London-based musician as he meets and performs with classical, folk and pop musicians exploring how music influences different aspects of Indian life.

"Travelling across India to make the series was perhaps one of the most exciting times of my life. One day I was sharing notes with the rich and powerful of Mumbai's society, the next I was deep in the forests of Kerala with endangered tribes immersed in ancient rituals," said Datta, a musician and composer whose work falls within the realms of Indian classical and contemporary music.

"In a country so diverse, so stretched, I discovered that there is only one language that brings it together. That language is music the pulse of which we were trying to put our fingers on," he said.

The series, on BBC World News across over three weekends starting this week, is divided into Ancient Melodies, Music of the People and Sounds of the City. It will travel through a religious festival in Kerala to folk musicians in the deserts of Rajasthan as well as intimate performances on the banks of the Ganges to encounters with Delhi's hip hop superstars.

"As a Londoner, I'm so excited to be working with the incredible team at BBC, telling this important story of music in India for viewers across the world. As an Indian though, I feel privileged to have dug deep into my roots, met with incredible musicians from all divisions of society and witnessed the sheer power of music that still impacts people across the nation today," said Datta.

The musical travelogue will come to a close with the launch of the 2019 box-office hit 'Gully Boy' in Mumbai, highlighting the vibrancy of India's hip hop scene.