Nimhans centre to study how music affects brain; Ilaiyaraaja to be patron

Bengaluru: The National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (Nimhans) Wednesday announced the setting up of a National Centre for Music, Brain, Mind and Health under the patronage of music composer and Padma Vibhushan awardee Ilaiyaraaja.

The proposed centre, which will be set up in collaboration with Mercuri Foundation, aims to become India’s first interdisciplinary national facility dedicated to studying the intersection of music, neuroscience, mental health, cognition, rehabilitation and technology.

According to Nimhans, the initiative seeks to advance research, clinical innovation, education and public engagement in areas related to music and human wellbeing. The centre will focus on understanding how music influences the brain, cognition, emotions and overall health, while developing evidence-based approaches that can be applied in healthcare and community settings.

“The centre aims to bridge traditional wisdom, artistic excellence and modern neuroscience to develop evidence-based approaches that can benefit individuals and communities alike. The patronage of Ilaiyaraaja adds a profound cultural and artistic dimension to the initiative,” said a press release from Nimhans.

Since 2009, research has been on into how music interacts with the brain, cognition, emotion and mental health at Nimhans. The Music Cognition Laboratory — the country’s first dedicated laboratory focused on music cognition and neuromusicology — was set up at Nimhans in 2011.