Building Social Harmony through Indian Classical Music Education: Educational Perspectives across Nations

Abstract

Music education serves as a powerful medium for cultural transmission, social integration, emotional development, and intercultural understanding. Indian classical music, with its rich traditions of Guru Shishya Parampara, disciplined practice, and emphasis on aesthetic and ethical values, offers significant possibilities for fostering social harmony within and beyond national boundaries. This paper examines the role of Indian classical music education in building social harmony and strengthening intercultural relationships from an international educational perspective. It explores how the learning and practice of Indian classical music can promote empathy, mutual respect, cultural awareness, collective participation, and appreciation of cultural diversity. The study also considers the relevance of contemporary educational frameworks, particularly India's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasises holistic, inclusive, multidisciplinary, and culturally rooted education and recognises the arts as an important component of overall development. Adopting a qualitative research approach, the study draws upon expert perspectives obtained through interviews and questionnaire responses from music educators, classical performers, and scholars associated with Indian classical music education. The findings highlight the potential of Indian classical music education as a tool for cultural dialogue, social inclusion, and peaceful coexistence. The study further discusses the role of international dissemination, cross-cultural collaborations, digital platforms, and educational institutions in extending the social and cultural impact of Indian classical music across nations. It concludes that integrating Indian classical music into diverse educational contexts can contribute not only to the preservation of cultural heritage but also to the development of globally aware, empathetic, and socially cohesive communities.