Saradha Sangeetha Kalasala begs for government support

Kurnool: “If music be the food of love, play on, give me excess of it… , so goes a verse in Shakespeare,'s Twelfth Night”. But in Kurnool, the maestros who teach music go without food, literally. Saradha Sangeetha Kalasala, the only government run music college in entire Rayalaseema region is located in Kurnool. But due to official apathy and indifference, the college now lies in a state of neglect. Though students are eager to learn music, the college is not encouraging students as it does not have requisite faculty.

Highlights:

• The only government-run music college in Kurnool for Rayalaseema has inadequate staff and musical instruments
• CM accused of neglecting AP’s first capital, concentrating only on Amaravati

The government started Saradha Sangeetha Kalasala in 1973 in Kurnool for all Rayalaseema district people. Firstly, only 50 students joined as first batch and now there are nearly 350 learners in the college. The college offers different courses under the 4- year certificate course and 2- year diploma courses. The institution offers all types of courses like, dance and songs that includes classical and traditional. It also teaches music learning courses like Violin, Harmonium, Drum, Tabla, Guitar and other musical instruments.

Unfortunately to teach all these classes there is no adequate staff and trainers at the college. In addition to the staff crunch, there are no musical instruments to teach the students. There are only six teachers including three contractual trainers. There are no watch men, no attender and also no special clerk to maintain records.

The principal is the only one who is doing the duties of an office boy to officer. The accountant and other posts pertaining to six vacancies are lying vacant since two decades due to which regular classes are not being conducted to the students. The students who come here to learn their desired subject have to return with dissatisfaction. One of the students, K Madhavi who is pursuing classical dance lamented that she is very much passionate to learn dance but there is no teacher to teach the subject. Not only me, several other students are there who have registered in various courses are experiencing the bitter experience, she stated.

A music lover said it is very unfortunate that the former capital of united Andhra Pradesh is being neglected on all fronts. We have to travel to faraway places to learn music, dance or other courses. He said the Chief Minister, Nara Chandra Babu Naidu is concentrating only for the development of Amaravati. He urged the government to facilitate the Sangeetha Kalasala with adequate musical instruments as well as teachers to train the children.

The principal G Ramachandra Rao speaking to this correspondent said that at least six faculties are needed urgently to teach the subjects. There is also acute need of instruments as the earlier ones are under repair and are not in good condition.
He said several proposals have been sent to the higher officials, requesting for the early supply of instruments as well as deployment of staff. But there is no response from the concerned department, he added.