Traditional music students can now study engineering at IIT Madras

Chennai: Students with a strong grounding in traditional music can now take up engineering courses at IIT Madras, institute director Prof V Kamakoti has said, calling on parents to motivate children to learn music from an early age.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the 93rd annual South Indian Music Conference and the Festival of the Indian Fine Arts Society in Chennai on December 17, Prof Kamakoti said music is deeply connected to science, particularly mathematics.

He noted that IIT Madras is actively working to strengthen this link through various initiatives. As part of efforts to promote interdisciplinary learning, the institute is setting up a bamboo-based auditorium that will function without microphones and is also in the process of establishing the Ilaiyaraja Centre for Excellence in Music.

Emphasising the importance of cross-disciplinary education, Prof Kamakoti said IIT Madras is focusing on blending multiple fields of study. He cited Operation Sindoor as an example, pointing out that the project brought together expertise from 10 to 11 different branches of engineering.

(with inputs from agencies)