Thread by @IshaRay8

The signature All India Radio tune based on raag Shivaranjini was composed by a Czech-Jewish refugee Walter Kaufmann (originally from Prague) then director of music at Akashvani(AIR)in year 1936. He fled europe during Nazi invasion & came to India in 1934 (1/5)
#100thMannKiBaat

Mr. Walter composed the tune along with prominent Indian orchestra conductor Mr. Mehli Mehta(father of Mr. Zubin Mehta)who gave the violin contribution to it. Mr. Kaufmann’s mesmerising composition“Anasuya” was described as India’s First Radio Opera in 1939 (2/5)
#Allindiaradio

Well versed in western music he faced difficulties in initial days but he learnt Indian Classical Music from great musicians of India during his 9 yrs at AIR.He also gave the background music for the movie Navjeevan in 1939 made by Mohan Bhavnani his friend(3/4)
#indianmusic

He was the founder of Bombay Chamber Music society. Left India in 1946 for London where he worked with BBC for a year. Then he moved to Canada & worked with Winniped Symphony Orchestra. His good friend Albert Einstein wrote a recommendation letter for him (4/5)
#alberteinstein

In the year 1957 he moved to USA and finally settled there.He joined the School of Music Faculty at Indiana University in Bloomington where he continued his work on Indian Music and wrote extensively. He breathed his last in the year 1984 🙏 (5/5)
#Allindiaradio #Walterkaufmann

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