Musician and follower of Dr Ambedkar? A top voilinist has this rare combination!

By Rajiv Shah

Some time back, a human rights defender, Vidya Bhushan Rawat, who frequently writes for Counterview, forwarded to me a video interview with Guru Prabhakar Dhakade, calling him one of India's well known violinists. Somehow I missed the email alert.

Scanning through my past emails, I found Rawat's youtube video and a short writeup. Dhakade is based in Nagpur and has devoted his life for the Hindustani classical music. A number of his disciples have now been part of Hindi cinema world in Mumbai, says Rawat. He has performed live in various parts of the country as well as abroad.
What however attracted me was Dhakade's assertions in video about Dr BR Ambedkar, India's undisputed Dalit icon. Recorded several years back at his residence and music school in Nagpur, Dhakade not only speaks candidly about issues he faced, but that he is a believer in Dr Ambedkar's philosophy. It is in this context that Dhakade narrates his problems, even as stating that he is determined to achieve his goal.

A violinist and a follower of Ambedkar? This was new to me. Rarely do musicians are found to take a secular view of things. They are generally found to be confined to religious worldview.

Spritual framework determines their persuasions. Be that as it may, Dhakade tells Rawat, he wishes, if the writings of Dr Ambedkar, Jyotiba Phule and other legends of the Bahujan Samaj are available on Brail, things would be easier for him to propagate their views among the physically challenged persons.
"Prabhakar Dhakade's life is an inspiration for all", concludes Rawat, even as sharing the conversation with him.

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