“Professor Dr. Lars-Christian Koch’s body of work exemplifies scholarly depth, attentive listening, and a deep respect for cultural memory. Through his sustained engagement with sound, music, and research, he has created bridges across geographies and disciplines, making his contribution to Indo-German cultural exchange both enduring and deeply relevant.” Bjorn Ketels, Director, Goethe-Institut /Max Mueller Bhavan Mumbai
During his acceptance remarks, Professor Dr. Lars-Christian Koch reflected on Rabindranath Tagore’s enduring influence, noting that the importance of Tagore “remains anchored in life”, and emphasizing that while his own academic and curatorial work has become increasingly global, Tagore’s ideas continue to shape his intellectual and cultural engagement.
“It is our privilege to honour Professor Dr. Lars-Christian Koch for his deep and sustained engagement with India, and for his significant scholarly work on Rabindranath Tagore’s musical and cultural legacy, which continues to foster dialogue between India and Germany.” Pratima Reddy, Country Speaker, Merck India
Merck, a leading science and technology company, in collaboration with Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan India, the official cultural institute of the Federal Republic of Germany, presented Professor Dr. Lars-Christian Koch with the prestigious sixth Merck-Tagore Award during a celebratory event held at the Royal Opera House in Mumbai.
Prof. Dr. Simon Thelen, Vice Chairman of the Family Board and of the Board of Partners of E. Merck KG, handed over the award to Professor Dr. Lars-Christian Koch, an ethnomusicologist, for his outstanding contribution to intercultural exchange between India and Germany, with a particular focus on the life, music, and legacy of Rabindranath Tagore.
The jury of the sixth edition of the Merck-Tagore Award consisted of Christoph Hallier, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Mumbai; Bjorn Ketels, Director, Goethe-Institut /Max Mueller Bhavan Mumbai; Pratima Reddy, Country Speaker, Merck India and Managing Director, Merck Healthcare in India, and Dr. Martin Kämpchen, the first recipient of the Merck-Tagore Award.
Addressing the crowd, Bjorn Ketels, Director, Goethe-Institut /Max Mueller Bhavan Mumbai, said, “The Merck-Tagore Award represents a long-standing partnership between Merck and the Goethe-Institut, grounded in a shared commitment to fostering meaningful intercultural dialogue. Professor Dr. Lars-Christian Koch’s body of work exemplifies scholarly depth, attentive listening, and a deep respect for cultural memory. Through his sustained engagement with sound, music, and research, he has created bridges across geographies and disciplines, making his contribution to Indo-German cultural exchange both enduring and deeply relevant.”
During his acceptance remarks, Professor Dr. Lars-Christian Koch reflected on Rabindranath Tagore’s enduring influence, noting that the importance of Tagore “remains anchored in life”, and emphasizing that while his own academic and curatorial work has become increasingly global, Tagore’s ideas continue to shape his intellectual and cultural engagement.
Pratima Reddy, Country Speaker, Merck India, added, “At Merck, we believe that meaningful progress is driven by open exchange across cultures and disciplines. The Merck-Tagore Award reflects this belief by recognizing outstanding contributions in the humanities that strengthen intercultural understanding. It is our privilege to honour Professor Dr. Lars-Christian Koch for his deep and sustained engagement with India, and for his significant scholarly work on Rabindranath Tagore’s musical and cultural legacy, which continues to foster dialogue between India and Germany.”
