Mysore/Mysuru:  Senior medical practitioner of the city Dr. N. Chandrashekar said that teaching students arts, literature and culture will help them in shaping their future.

He was speaking as the chief guest at the inauguration of the 5-day Tyagaraja and Purandaradasa Aradhana Mahotsava organised by Sri Krishna Seva Samiti at Srikrishna Ganasabha in Gokulam 3rd Stage here on Wednesday, as part of Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi Birth Centenary celebrations.

Recalling a few instances where he sang a couple of Dasa Padas while treating or performing minor surgeries on patients,  in order to keep the patients mentally comfortable and also to enhance their will power, Dr. Chandrashekar observed that music plays a vital role in the recovery of patients.

Srikrishna Ganasabha President B.S. Sridhar Raje Urs said that an endowment will be  instituted for holding musical programmes every year in memory of Pandit Bhimsen Joshi.

Pointing out that donors have come forward for contributing to the endowment, Urs said that it has been planned to deposit an amount of  Rs. 3 lakh so that the programme can be held every year from now on.

Noting that former MLA Vasu, Industrialists Jagannath Shenoy and Sundaram, Dr. Chandrashekar and others have come forward with their donations, he appealed other music lovers to contribute their mite for this music programme.

Floral tributes were offered to the portrait of Pandit Bhimsen Joshi on the occasion.

Earlier, senior Journalist Amshi Prasannakumar inaugurated the programme.

Namrata and Harshita rendered the invocation. Sabha Secretary J. Mahesh welcomed. Ranjani Kaushik, Bharathi Urs, M. Renukadevi, art promoter C.R. Himamshu and others were present.

The inauguration was followed by a vocal music concert by Pandit Ramesh Kolakunda. He was accompanied by Pandit Keshav Joshi on tabla and Pandit Yagnesh Bhagavat on harmonium.