The SPIC MACAY Story
50 years of bringing India's classical heritage to the youth
Origins
How It All Began
In 1977, Prof. Kiran Seth of IIT Delhi invited Ustad Imrat Khan to perform on campus. The response was electric — students who had never heard a sitar played live were moved to tears. That evening changed everything. A small group of students decided that this experience shouldn't be a one-off luxury. It should be a right — available to every young person in India, free of charge.
A Journey of 50 Years
1977
The Spark at IIT Delhi
A young professor, Dr. Kiran Seth, organises the first classical concert on a college campus. Students are mesmerised — and a movement is born.
1980s
From Campus to Movement
What began at IIT Delhi spreads to colleges across North India. Student volunteers carry the mission forward with no institutional support — only conviction.
1990s
A National Presence
SPIC MACAY establishes chapters in every major state. The Heritage programme brings Ustad Bismillah Khan, Pandit Ravi Shankar, and Birju Maharaj directly to school auditoriums.
2000s
Going Global
Chapters spring up in the UK, USA, Canada, and across Southeast Asia. The International Convention becomes an annual pilgrimage for thousands of young volunteers.
2010s
Deepening Roots
The Gurukul Anubhav Scholarship programme is launched, sending students to live and learn with master artists. Regional conventions multiply across India.
2020s
Resilience & Renewal
Through a pandemic and beyond, the movement adapts with online concerts, hybrid events, and the Aarambh play-school module — reaching children as young as 3.
Today
In Its 49th Year
Over 10,000 events annually across 500+ cities. A movement run entirely by volunteers, with no paid staff — only a shared belief that classical arts transform lives.
What We Preserve
Music Aligned to the Rhythm of the Day
Indian Classical Music is not just art; it is a science of the soul. Melodies (Ragas) are prescribed for specific times of the day to align your inner rhythm with the movement of the sun.
Awakening, Renewal
Growth
A Voluntary Revolution
Unlike most organisations, SPIC MACAY has never had paid employees. Every concert, every workshop, every convention is organised by volunteers — students, professors, professionals, and retirees who give their time because they believe in the cause. This model of selfless service has been the movement's greatest strength.
Today
The Movement Now
SPIC MACAY is present in over 500 cities across India and chapters worldwide. Every week, somewhere in the country, a student hears a dhrupad for the first time, watches a Kathak recital in their school hall, or joins a craft workshop where they learn to make their own paper. The mission remains the same: make India's living heritage accessible, alive, and free.