New Delhi: Chetak Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of Chetak Group, the leading player in logistics in India has inducted Ms. Vusat Iqbal Khan renowned vocalist from Dilli Gharana in its advisory board to bring in diversity and richness to build upon her varied interests and experience in Indian Classical Music, Advertising and Media. Vusat a dastango and vocalist is the co-founder of Dilli Durbar, MD, Dilli Gharana Productions, Director, Ameer Khusro Institute of Dilli Gharana and Organizing Secretary/Treasurer, Sursagar Society of Dilli Gharana.
Chetak Foundation has been set up to work on improving the quality of life for underprivileged communities in logistics and other public domains.
Speaking on the development Sachin Haritash, Board of Director Chetak Group said, “We are delighted to welcome the first lady to the Advisory Board of Chetak Foundation, and we could not have asked for a richer profile than Vusat’s. A Dastangoi artist, Vusat comes with the lineage of a highly respected Dill Gharana. She will bring in a finer artistic perspective to Foundation’s endeavours. We are really proud of her achievements, which include winning the Arts Excellence Award by Kabir Group Art Organisation, Award of fellowship to Outstanding Person in the Field of Culture by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India and the “Multi-tasker Woman” Award by Red Ribbons Society of India. We hope Vusat will also enjoy her new role as much as we cherish having her on the board.”
Daughter of the khalifa of Dilli Gharana Ustad Iqbal Ahmed Khan, Vusat Iqbal Khan is the pioneer of musical dastangoi, a new style of dastangoi which she has developed by including the rich diversity of repertoire of Dilli Gharana in her productions while continuing to maintain the purity of traditional dastangoi in her storytelling andaaz. Her style of Dastangoi musicals weave ghazals, thumri and exquisite bandishes composed by the Gharana, to narrate a story in refined (nafees) Urdu. Some of her well-known and recognised artistic creations are Rudaad-e-Shireen, Dastan-e-Khusro and Ghalib, Begam Umrao ki Nazar se. She has also developed and conceptualised musical productions such as Vande Matram in raag Tirangi Malhaar.
On her induction to the Board, Ms. Vusat Iqbal Khan said, “Way back, I had taken a major turn in my life, when I left a financially secure life while working with the Government of India Ministry and also as a media planner with McCann Erickson to pursue my passion to promote and propagate the Indian Classical Music. Joining Chetak Foundation helps me take another nice turn in my life, which takes me closer to my calling of doing something for the underprivileged, in line with Chetak Foundation’s vision and the family’s passion. I look forward to contributing my bit, and more than that, learn so much more, in this humane domain to enrich my own life.”
Vusat Iqbal Khan is a Postgraduate in Advertising & Marketing and a History graduate from IP College, Delhi University. She worked as a Media Consultant with the Ministry of Communications & Information Technology, GoI and before that she also was a Media Planner at Lodestar Universal, McCann Erickson. She has been a path breaker and trendsetter for women from a traditional gharanedar family as she is the first woman from her legendary family of musicians to come forward on the stage and work in the male-dominated field of ICM.
As the MD of Dilli Gharana Productions, Vusat produced two theme songs for the Ministry of Information & Technology and the Ministry of Education. Written by Gulzar, these songs were sung by artists like Suresh Wadkar, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Jaspinder Narula, Sadhna Sargam. She also manages Ameer Khusro Institute of Music in which all forms of Indian Classical Music are taught in the Guru-Shishya Parampara.
In order to connect the Urban youth with India’s classical music, Vusat conceptualized Dilli Durbar, a big celebration of Indian classical music in New Delhi with Musical Maestros like Ustad Rashid Khan, Pt. Birju Maharaj, Smt Shovana Narayan, Ustad Wasifuddin Dagar, Ustad Iqbal Ahmed Khan, Ustad Shahid Parwez Khan, Piyush Mishra, Kailash Kher, Javed Ali, Dhruv Sangari, Chand Qadri, Veena Shravani. She also conceptualized Shaam-e-Dilli Gharana, to provide a platform to young artists of the Dilli Gharana.
Vusat dons multiple hats with ease. She looks forward to adding another dimension to her dexterity by actively participating in various initiatives of Chetak Foundation that focuses on broad areas including Education, Livelihood, Health, Safety, and Environment. The Foundation has rolled out impressive schemes to take its mission forward like Swasthya Plus (Health & Fitness), ‘Siksha se Rozgaar’ (Education to Livelihood), Zindagi Plus (Road safety) and Oxygen Plus (Environment protection).
Recently Chetak Foundation has been bestowed upon with the CSR India’s Award for Skill Development and another award for its Health Initiatives during Covid, instituted by CST Times.
The Foundation has distributed high-quality dry ration and sanitization kits to thousands of Covid front-line workers. It has also been distributing helmets to two-wheeler riders and pillions under its Zindagi Plus Road Safety initiative. The Foundation has also carried out tree-plantation drives for environmental protection.
Chetak Foundation has tied up with Delhi Skill and Entrepreneur University for Skill Development initiatives and VisionSpring, a global NGO for its Vision and Road Safety initiatives. The Foundation has also associated with credible organizations like Sir Ganga Ram, Fortis and Max Hospitals, Delhi Metro, Indian Oil Corporation, Haryana Government, Kanpur Commissionerate and CRPF for its health, nutrition, environmental and road safety projects.
Read more CSR updates about Chetak Foundation: Chetak Foundation – India CSR
