Akhilesh Chandra Saxena
Bareilly: An enchanting evening of instrumental music unfolded at SRMS Ridhima, with the much-awaited ‘Rainbow’ programme bringing together a vibrant fusion of Indian classical and Western music traditions. The event featured soulful performances by the institute’s instrumental maestros and their talented disciples, captivating an audience that included music connoisseurs and city dignitaries.
The evening began with the Carnatic raga Hansadhwani, presented in unison by an ensemble of noted musicians including Umesh Mishra (Sarangi), Suryakant Chaudhary (Violin), Suraj Pandey (Flute), Suman Biswas (Mridangam), Amarnath (Tabla), Anugrah Singh (Drums), Vishesh Singh (Guitar), Prayag Srivastava (Sitar), Surendra (Congo), and Ronny Phillips (Saxophone). They were joined by students Dr. Namrata, Sanskar Singh, Vivaan Agrawal, Megha Tandon, Sarthak Katheria, Neha Pandey, Karunya Arora, Swasti Garg, Shitij Agrawal, Riddhith Agrawal, Pragya Mishra, Anuj Saxena, Mantika Arora, and Guransh Singh, who performed a striking fusion composition.
A nostalgic trip followed, taking the audience back to the golden era of Western music. Tunes from Madonna, Boney M, and the Louis Brothers echoed through the hall as the instrumentalists reimagined their global hits, infusing fresh energy and compelling rhythms.

The evening progressed into a Bollywood melody tribute, where evergreen tracks like “Senorita” and “Hai Apna Dil To Awara” were brought to life with the harmonious blend of saxophone, violin, flute, guitar, and keyboard, prompting the audience to sway along to the familiar tunes.
The event concluded with a stunning rendition of the revered raga Megh Malhar, symbolically invoking the monsoon. As the instruments built their crescendo, rain clouds gathered—soon releasing a gentle downpour outside, mirroring the mood within.
The event saw the gracious presence of SRMS Trust Founder and Chairman Dev Murti, Asha Murti, Aditya Murti, Richa Murti, Subhash Mehra, Dr. M.S. Butola, Dr. Prabhakar Gupta, Dr. Anuj Saxena, Dr. Shailesh Saxena, Dr. Sharad Johri, Dr. P.K. Pardal, and Dr. Vidya Nand, along with several eminent citizens of Bareilly.