Who will be the next president?

Short tribute to Pandit Bhimsen Joshi on his centenary.

Who will be the next President of India

When I moved from the sciences to Economics for my graduation, Political Science and Mathematics were my subsidiaries. The combination was apt, though not pre-planned. Economics started as an extension of Political science. Thomas R. Malthus was, in 1805, the first Professor of ‘Political Economy.’ By the time I started studying Economics, Mathematics had gripped a major part of its narratives.

My interest in politics and political science has remained ever since. I never ventured, however, into writing on politics given the obvious constraints at my previous job.

In the post below, I speculate on who could be the 15th President of India. This is a long post of nearly 4k words covering past Presidents and the election process.

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Pandit Bhimsen Joshi

Perhaps the most captivating and phenomenal Indian classical musician of the last century was Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. To me, he was and still is. As G.N. Joshi, of HMV, wrote in his “Down Melody Lane,” Panditji’s popularity in India and abroad was partly fortuitous as his career ran parallel with the growth of technology in recording. He thus became the first Indian musician to cut a platinum disc.

Starting in Miranda House, New Delhi, in 1981/82, I listened to Panditji live in five cities across India: the four metros and Trivandrum. A sixth city, following a standing invitation to the Sawai Gandharva Music Festival in Pune, never happened.

My original plan for this week was a long tribute to Panditji whose centenary is tomorrow, 4 February 2022 (some say it is on 14th). But, I have to postpone it for certain reasons (Mohan Nadkarni’s biography of Panditji is missing, for one). In the meantime, my pranams in memory of the great musician. On the occasion, here is a link to my favourite piece by Panditji, a Marathi abhang by Sant Namdev, in Raag Ahir Bhairav. This is not the best audio rendition of the abhang by Panditji. The video and audio blur for a few seconds in the beginning and once again. But, listening to Panditji is more complete by watching him sing. To me personally, watching and listening to Panditji sing this abhang at the Nehru Centre in Worli, in 2002/03, was one of my greatest musical experiences ever.

Another video, in colour, of the same abhang by a much older and more sedate Panditji is here. For a shorter audio version in six minutes, from an original EP record, listen here.

An abhang, as I understand it, is a more outward and demonstrated expression of devotion in a community environment, as against bhajans which are more inward looking. Written in praise of Vitthala, the presiding deity of Pandharpur, abhangs go back to the bhakti movement. For lyrics and translation, see the end of this nice blog post, from where I am reproducing the translation below:

“Vitthala is a holy body of water, Vitthala is a holy land.
Vithtala is God and Vitthala is His worship.
Vitthala is my mother and Vitthala is my father.
Vitthala is my friend and Vitthala is my clan.
Vitthala is my teacher, Vitthala is the teacher of Gods.
Vitthala is tranquillity, Vitthala is everlasting.
Namdev says ‘I have found sanctuary in Vitthala’.
‘Even in this Kaliyuga, I can come to no harm!’”

A longer tribute to Panditji in due course!