Music is an integral part of Indian culture, perhaps one of the world's oldest evolving traditions passed down from generation to generation. Established in 1987, the NUS Indian Instrumental Ensemble (IIE) celebrates the finesse of Indian Classical music. The ensemble now consists of SIX broad sections - ethnic plucked strings (Veena, Sitar, Dan Bau, Guzheng, etc.), Violin, Vocals, Wind (Flute, etc.), Percussion and Keys.
With around 80 members comprising of students and alumni, the ensemble performs both as a full orchestra and in smaller groups. IIE's 2023 annual concert during NUS Arts Festival called "Inter/change", inspired by the historic Silk Route, won the Production of the Year (Merit), 2023 at the Tan Ean Kiam Awards, in collaboration with NUS Chinese Dance. In 2022 and 2023, IIE received the Original Work of the Year (Distinction) award for student compositions Sangamam and Bairagi, presented at our annual concerts "Bodhi - An Awakening" and "Inter/Change" respectively.