Nirmala Sitharaman releases ₹250 coin honouring Carnatic maestro Muthuswami Dikshitar on 250th birth anniversary

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday released a ₹250 commemorative coin to mark the 250th birth anniversary of Carnatic music maestro Muthuswami Dikshitar at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi.

The programme was organised under the Centre of Excellence for Indian Knowledge Systems at IIT-BHU, according to a statement issued by the institute.

The commemorative coin was issued by the Bank of India (RBI), Utkarsh Srivastava of IIT-BHU's public relations department said.

According to the government mint's website, the coin was available for purchase at ₹6,985, with 238 pieces listed in stock on Tuesday evening.

Such commemorative coins are minted in limited quantities using precious metals and are primarily collected as memorabilia rather than used for regular transactions.

Nirmala Sitharaman highlights Muthuswami Dikshitar's contribution to Indian classical music

During the programme, Sitharaman recalled Dikshitar's contribution to Indian classical music and India's cultural heritage.

She also interacted with students at IIT-BHU, explaining Indian classical music, musical instruments and their distinctive features.

Before attending the event, the finance minister paid a floral tribute to the statue of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, the founder of BHU.

Sitharaman also interacted with schoolchildren, introducing them to the rich tradition of Carnatic music and Muthuswami Dikshitar's contribution to the art form.

She spoke about the distinctive features of Dikshitar's veena, his association with Kashi and his stay in the city.

Highlighting the importance of familiarising younger generations with India's cultural traditions, Sitharaman said:

"It is important to familiarise children with India's rich cultural traditions and heritage from an early age, as this helps develop their interest in understanding their cultural identity,"

She also spoke about children's increasing engagement with digital devices.

She observed that in today's digital age, children spend most of their time on mobile phones. "While there is nothing wrong with this, participating in cultural programmes offers you with a different experience," Sitharaman said.

"Such programmes enable children to gain a closer understanding of the contributions of culture, language, music, literature and various art forms," she said, adding that it was essential to connect children with India's rich cultural heritage so that they could also understand the importance of their traditions and arts.

BSE supports release of commemorative coin

The initiative to release the commemorative coin received support from the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme.

BSE Managing Director Sundararaman Ramamurthy made a special contribution towards realising the initiative.

At the event, Banaras Hindu University Vice-Chancellor Prof Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi shared his views on the significance of the historic occasion.

IIT-BHU Director Prof Amit Patra highlighted Muthuswami Dikshitar's contribution to music and his distinguished place in the tradition of Indian classical music.

The ceremony also featured Carnatic music performances.

Renowned vocalist Dr Sumitra Vasudev from Karnataka paid a musical tribute to the composer through her rendition.

This was followed by a veena recital by Ramana Balachandhran, accompanied by Ganapatiraman on the mridangam and L Ramakrishnan on the violin. The performances introduced the audience to the rich heritage of Carnatic music.

Who was Muthuswami Dikshitar?

Muthuswami Dikshitar, alongside Tyagaraja and Syama Sastri, is regarded as one of the Trinity of Carnatic music.

His compositions, largely written in Sanskrit, are known for combining devotion, Indian philosophy and classical musical traditions. He is believed to have composed around 450-500 works, many of which continue to be performed at classical music concerts.

Dikshitar spent a considerable period in Varanasi, where he composed several works dedicated to temples and Hindu deities.

His association with the city was also highlighted by Sitharaman during the commemorative programme.

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