World Music Day 2026 observed on 21 June with the theme of Independent Music

Key facts

• The 16th edition of Sourendro-Soumyojit's World Music Day Concert was organised on 21 June 2026 at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata, West Bengal.
• The theme for the 2026 celebration was the spirit of independent music, curated by the pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro Mullick and Soumyojit Das.
• The concert featured a diverse lineup of Indian artists including Gulzar, Hariharan, Shankar Mahadevan, Shilpa Rao, Vishal Bhardwaj, Rekha Bhardwaj, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Anupam Roy, Kalpana Patowary, Parvathy Baul, Sid Sriram, Ayaan Ali Bangash, Nikhita Gandhi, and Benny Dayal.
• The event showcased India's regional musical heritage through performances by the Patachitra artists of Pingla, Thavil players of Kerala, and Bedabati from Manipur.
• Mr. Sundeep Bhutoria, a Trustee of the Prabha Khaitan Foundation, presented a painting of Kavi Guru Rabindranath Tagore by artist Suvaprasanna to the legendary lyricist Gulzar during the event.