Since the beginning of my musical career in the early Forties, I remember how Ahmedabad was reputed to be one of the most unmusical cities in Northern India, in spite of the fact that some rich families and individuals tried their best to promote classical music! The standard joke was that the only music Ahmedbadis liked was Rupiya Ki Jhankar (the tinkling sound of the Silver rupees!). But since Nandan, Manju Mehta along with Smt Rupande Shah, Smt. Bhartiben Parikh and Prof.D.D. Trivedi launched Saptak in 1980 things started changing gradually and today Ahmedabad can boast to have appreciative lovers of classical music, in par with many other cities. This is also due to SAPTAK as an institution that has trained and created many musical students all through these years. I feel happy to have been performing from the very first of its' session! I send my congratulations along with my blessings to all the trustee members of Saptak.

- Pandit Ravi Shankar