Chandvankar Family Donates Extensive Record Collection toThe NFDC-National Film Archive of India

Esteemed Scientist-Archivist Suresh Chandvankar’s Record Collection Now Part of the NFDC-NFAI

Pune, September 6, 2024 – The National Film Development Corporation – National Film Archive of India (NFDC-NFAI) announces the acquisition of the priceless record collection of the late Shri. Suresh Chandvankar. This significant donation by the Chandvankar family is a major enrichment of India’s musical heritage.

Suresh Chandvankar, who passed away earlier this year at the age of 71, was a scientist, archivist and musicologist whose lifelong passion centered around the dedicated collection, preservation and access of disc records. Beginning in the 1970s, Chandvankar’s passion for collecting 78 RPM records turned into a comprehensive endeavor to safeguard India’s rich audio history. He was a founding member of the ‘Society of Indian Record Collectors’, a platform through which he collaborated with fellow enthusiasts to document and share knowledge of India’s musical past. His writings, featured in various publications and journals, provided invaluable insights into rare recordings and the stories of forgotten artists, ensuring their legacy endured. The donated collection includes shellac and vinyl records collected by him over the decades.

His wife, Smt. Prerana Chandvankar and daughter, Smt. Rucha Chandvankar visited the NFDC-NFAI to witness the careful cataloging and preservation of the collection.

Speaking about him, the family said, “Suresh Chandvankar, beloved husband and father, was a tremendously generous person, especially when it came to his passion for music and gramophone records. Throughout his life he strove to share this passion as widely as possible, first through numerous listening sessions hosted for music lovers across Mumbai and Pune. Later he started digitizing his record collection to preserve this invaluable piece of history. And he made his digitized archives freely available over the internet for others to enjoy. His life’s work was to ensure that everyone could have the opportunity to enjoy his amazing collection of music. He often mentioned that, after him, his collection should live on in an established institution which would continue his work of preserving the record collection, digitizing it and making the music accessible to everyone. And so, the Chandvankar family is delighted that his collection has been accepted by the NFAI-NFDC, who will preserve his legacy and continue his lifelong work.”

The NFDC-National Film Archive of India expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Chandvankar family for their generous donation. This collection promises to be an invaluable resource for researchers, historians, and music enthusiasts, ensuring that Suresh Chandvankar’s pioneering legacy lives on and continues to inspire future generations.

The archive remains committed to the promotion, preservation, and development of Indian cinema and music. Through various initiatives and collections, it aims to safeguard India’s cultural heritage, ensuring its access to generations to come.