Prayagraj: Padma Shri folk singer Malini Awasthi, the chief guest at the 21st convocation of UPRTOU, said every visit to Prayagraj fills her with the same spiritual feeling as visiting Vrindavan.Recalling her childhood in Mirzapur, she said her parents regularly brought her to the then Allahabad for musical programmes, where she had the privilege of witnessing performances by legendary artistes such as Pandit Ravi Shankar and Pandit Omkarnath Thakur.Referring to Bharat Ratna Rajarshi Purushottam Das Tandon, after whom the university is named, she recalled his commitment to the Swadeshi movement and said he had stopped consuming sugar during the freedom struggle as part of the boycott of foreign goods. Urging students to stay connected with their cultural roots, she said only those firmly rooted in their heritage can confidently face global competition.
