Artistic concerns were freely expressed at a panel discussion on the future of the classical arts at Saarang––the cultural festival organised by  IIT-M––on Friday.

"Many people walked out of this hall after the classical invocation piece was sung, but that doesn't mean the classical art will die," said art critic and writer VR Devika, setting the tone for the discussion on the future of art forms.

Dancers VP Dhananjayan and Adyar K Lakshman and Carnatic vocalist Vijayalakshmy Subramaniam also said that classical arts were far from sinking into oblivion. Though there is no danger of classical arts being ignored by the current generation, said veena artiste E Gayathri. Veteran vocalist TK Govinda Rao added that musicians should learn both theoretical and practical aspects.

"It is a very exciting time to be in Carnatic music," said Vijayalakshmy. All it needs is for artistes to communicate well and express their art. However, both artistes and rasikas need to take into account the lack of support structure, said dancer Lakshmi Viswanathan. "Arts should be part of the curriculum and not just an extra-curricular activity," said Lakshmi.

As for jarring notes while packaging the classical arts for a global audience, artistes need to exercise caution, said Dhananjayan.

Percussionist Ghatam Karthick said those artistes with a solid foundation in classical arts can easily adapt to various genres and create meaningful music.