Shubha Mudgal, Shiv Kumar Sharma, Rashid Khan

Mumbai, Jan. 27: The venue is St Xavier’s College, the event is called JanFest and the scene is as hectic as it can only be on the eve of a college fest.

The students’ committee head rushes in and out, harassment written large on her face. A huddle of students in jeans and T-shirts and with messed-up hair is putting together a giant jute lampshade as decoration. A long banner lies ready to be unfurled ? it has gold letterings on purple satin.

But the names that the banner proudly announces are not from Indipop or Indirock or any Indian Idol last-rounder. Those performing this time are redoubtable names from the world of Indian classical music: Rashid Khan, Shiv Kumar Sharma, Anindo Chatterjee, Shubha Mudgal, Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, U. Shrinivas and U. Rajesh (mandolin) and Partho Sarathy (sarod).

This classical music fest rocks. JanFest, one of the biggest events on the city’s classical music calendar, turns 32 this year and has been kept going entirely by students. The organisers call themselves The Indian Music Group.

The group was set up in 1974 by two students on the campus with a little help from Allah Rakha Khan. His son, a very young Zakir Hussain with less frizzy hair, performed at its first event. Since then, a fresh batch of students has joined in every year. Over the years, the biggest names in Indian classical music have performed at the fest.

“It is easier to say who didn’t perform ? like Vilayat Khan,” said Partho, a group member. “M.S. Subbulakshmi, Bhimsen Joshi, Ravi Shankar, Amjad Ali Khan, Kishori Amonkar, Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Shiv Kumar Sharma ? everyone has performed here.”

Now some of their children ? the two Ali Khans, Rahul Sharma ? have performed.

Unlike many other classical music institutions, the fest hasn’t had a problem with funds because a confectionery group has been its sponsor from the beginning.

“We run on a tight budget, though,” said Arushi Chowdhury Khanna, a second-year student who looks after media relations. The real challenge is to keep the student hooked to classical music. Not all of them know their Raag Malkaus from their Raag Hanswadhwani ? but that can wait.

“Not everyone is trained in classical music,” said Mahek Mehra, who handles media relations for the group. To attract students, strategies are adopted. The group believes that the MTV generation is not indifferent to Indian classical music, but under-exposed to it.

So mini-baithaks are held throughout the year. “When you hear music live, something happens,” said Partho. He bought several CDs after he heard the trio of Ronu Mozumdar, Tarun Bhattacharya and Avijit Banerjee perform together recently.

The air-conditioned library with 2,000 hours of recorded Hindustani and Carnatic music that is the group’s home is another draw. Inside, the librarian has a method to get the uninitiated, looking in to find out what it’s all about, hooked.

The library has a proud collection of old LPs, cassettes and CDs. The librarian puts the new student on “lighter stuff” first.

“First, instrumental music is played to them. Later, they are introduced to vocals though thumris. Then come the khayals,” Partho said. “After that they don’t want to leave the place.”

Some of the oldest members of the group, such as Trilok Telang, are still extremely attached to it. The group claims it is unique in its dedication to classical music and longevity on any Indian campus.

It remains fun, too. This year, 175 students applied to be volunteers for JanFest. Only 55 were accepted.