A special cover of renowned Indian classical musician Annapurna Devi at the Kolkata GPO was released by the Annapurna Devi Foundation. Prominent classical musicians such as Nityanand Haldipur, Basant Kabra, and Sukriti Gupta, as well as the Director of Postal Services, Kolkata Region, and others, attended the event. This was a unique celebration of the 100th birthday of the renowned Surbahar player Annapurna Devi.

The India Post’s special celebration of Surbahar player Annapurna Devi’s centennial in the city on the day following International Women’s Day adds another level.

On March 6, 7, and 8, 2026, the Annapurna Devi Foundation hosted a three-day classical music festival at G.D. Birla Sabhagar for the city’s music lovers. The organization had previously hosted conferences for the violin, sitar, and sarod.

The music festival honored Annapurna Devi’s 100th birthday this year. The show took viewers on a captivating musical tour through the various Indian classical music genres. Through vocal and instrumental performances, classical musicians from various national genres and styles honored Annapurna Devi. The musical legacy is enhanced by the distinct styles and flavors that each performer contributes.

This organization is dedicated to bringing not only well-known maestros to the stage but also lesser-known but equally exceptional talents in a world where the spotlight frequently shines on the already famous. These maestros are unmatched in their skill and craftsmanship, even though they may not be well known.

Annapurna Devi was a Surbahar artist. She was a Maihar Gharana artist, the sister of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and the daughter of Baba Alauddin Khan. Pandit Nikhil Banerjee, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Ashish Khan, Dakshina Mohan Tagore, Basant Kabra, Sudhir Phadke, and Nityanand Haldipur are among her notable pupils. She was given the name “Annapurna” by Maharaja Brijnath Singh of Maihar State, despite coming from a Muslim family.

The conference was filled with soulful melody by Pandit Milind Raikar (violin), Vidushi Subhra Guha (vocals), Pandit Shantanu Bhattacharyya (vocals), Pandit Basant Kabra (sarod), and Pandit Rajendra Prasanna and Ritesh Prasanna (flute), and Vidushi Ashwini Bhide Deshpande (vocals).

The India Post’s special honor gave this centennial celebration an additional dimension.

Priyanka Dutta