Pune: The piano once used by the legendary music composer and singer C. Ramchandra (Ramchandra Chitalkar) has been officially donated to the Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum in Pune. In a special event held at the museum on Sunday morning, the instrument was formally presented by veteran accordionist Enoch Daniels.
Following C. Ramchandra's passing, his wife had entrusted the piano to the Mumbai-based family of Suresh Yadav for safekeeping. However, recognizing the importance of preserving this historical musical artifact, Yadav decided to donate it to the museum, ensuring that future generations could witness a piece of India’s musical history.
The handover ceremony saw the presence of several eminent personalities, including Suresh Yadav, senior ophthalmologist Dr. Shrikant Kelkar, music scholar Dr. Prakash Kamat, and members of Melody Makers – Suhaschandra Kulkarni, Mangesh Waghmare, Shyam Mote, and Nitin Menwalikar. The event was hosted by Sudhanwa Ranade, Director of Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum, who welcomed the guests.
Suresh Yadav and Enoch Daniels shared heartfelt memories of C. Ramchandra, reflecting on his immense contributions to Indian music. In a nostalgic tribute, they played "Bhooli Surat Dil Ke Khote" on the very piano that was once used by the maestro himself.
Preserving a Piece of Musical History
Speaking about the significance of the instrument, Yadav shared personal anecdotes, stating, “C. Ramchandra composed many of his iconic songs on this very piano. My two sons, Sushant and Sandesh, also learned music on it.”
