In an effort to bring music, sculpture and fine arts colleges in the State under one roof, the Tamil Nadu Government today announced that it would open a university for music and fine arts.

Making a suo motu statement in the Assembly, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said, “In order to protect the originality of our music from Western influences, get better reception for indigenous art, and to take our traditional music and culture to youngsters, a university for music and fine arts would be opened.”

Government music colleges in Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore and Tiruvaiyaru, Government fine arts colleges in Chennai and Kumbakonam and the Government sculpture college in Mamallapuram would be brought under the new university, she said.

All Government-aided and private colleges related to music, fine arts and sculpture, music and fine arts departments in other universities would also function under this university.

The university would act on a common syllabus for music and fine arts, research and development activities and conducting exams, she said, adding, 13 departments for different areas including vocals, veena, violin, nathaswaram, thavil, mridangam, kadam, ganjira, flute, Bharathanatyam, Nattuvanga and Gramiya kalai would be opened.

Chief Minister also announced that the State Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology at Thuvakudi near Tiruchirapalli would be upgraded as a centre for Tourism and Hospitality Management at a cost of Rs 5 crore.

The Government also allocated Rs 1 crore for renovation of the Srimukhyachaleswar temple at Perumukkal in Villupuram district, she said.

Observing that Tamil Nadu has the maximum number of inscriptions in the country and since estampages discovered by the Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department in 1967 were on the verge of damage, she said Rs 50 lakh was allocated for digitisation and recording of all incriptions in the State. “This initiative would be completed in three years.”

The Government also allocated Rs 11 crore for renovation of the National Art Gallery building in the museum campus at Egmore here.

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