Our Inspiration : Rai Umanath Bali
A great grandson discovers the greatness of his great grandfather.
An Introduction by Sanidhya Bali : Great Grandson of Rai Umanath Bali and son of our Founder Manager, Rai Swareshwar Bali.
Rai Umanath Bali ji was born on 8 July 1892. He was a cultural reformer, statesman and a politician. He founded India's premier Classical Music, Dance and Vocals Institute the Marris College of Hindustani Music (named after Sir William Marris, the Lieutenant Governor of United Provinces). It was established at a time when classical music, dance and vocals were relegated to secondary positions and were limited to selected gharana's, Kotha's and Concubines.
Once the symbol of Devi Saraswati, the Goddess of Knowledge & Arts, with time, classical music, dance and vocals were brought down to secondary position and assumed to have leud associations. My great grandfather's vision was to restore its sanctity as a pious and sacred form of art and to make it reach to the cross section of society
The Marris College of Hindustani Music was later renamed as Bhatkhande College of Hindustani Music, as it was the academic effort of Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande and the untiring effort and idea-put-to-practice by my great grandfather Rai Umanath Bali, that the Bhatkhande College came into existence after countless misunderstandings among the great connoisseurs of music.
Later, the Bhatkhande College of Hindustani Music was renamed again as the Bhatkhande Sangit Sansthan and was also got a status of a Deemed to be University as per the recommendation of the State Government, which was accepted by the Universities Grants Council.
Rai Umanath Bali, also founded an Examining and Affiliating Body for the promotion, improvisation, institutionalisation and mainstreaming of Indian Classical Music, Folk Dances, Vocals and their instruction, known as the Bhatkhande Sangit Vidyapith of which my father, Rai Swareshwar Bali is the current Vice-President. The society is committed to its motive of promoting music education so that it does not get limited to a selected few and reaches to every keen learner whether affluent or struggling irrespective of his caste, creed, sex, religion or region.
Rai Umanath Bali had good ties with Pandit Nehru, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Maulana Azad among other stalwarts of their times including His Highnesses, Raja's Maharaja's and other connoisseurs of culture and performing arts. Rai Sahib spent his life in promotion and improvisation of Education.
Lal Bahadur Shastri Inter College, Daryabad was also established under his able direction by his younger brother Rai Somnath Bali. While, Rai Sahib was engrossed in establishing a National Level Institute like Bhatkhande College, he thought and did no less for the people of Daryabad.
It would not be wrong if I call Rai Umanath Bali as modern day Dadhichi. Rai Sahab sacrificed his personal assets and belongings for the upliftment of Indian classical music and the condition of Doldrums it was in. It was through his sincere efforts that the Bhatkhande College now known as the Bhatkhande Sangeet Sansthan (Deemed University) is cling fondly to the ever advancing spirit of the world. Not only did he invest most a major portion of his time, knowledge and money, he gave away his soul for this cause.
Rai Umanath Bali Mahavidyalaya was established by the RUBIES (Rai Umanath Bali Institutional Education Society) in the memory of Rai Umanath Bali, to further his cause for the promotion of education, by his grandson, Rai Swareshwar Bali who is our Founder Manager