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Jayalalithaa for awarding Bharat Ratna to Balamurali

Special Correspondent

She confers `Gandharva Gana Samrat" on the veteran musician.

MAKING A MUSICAL POINT: Chief Minister Jayalalithaa having a word with M. Balamuralikrishna at the Chevalier Award felicitation function in Chennai on Monday. — Photo: V. Ganesan

CHENNAI: Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Monday paid glowing tributes to the virtuoso vocalist in Carnatic music, M. Balamuralikrishna, on the occasion of his 75th birthday. She strongly pleaded for awarding "Bharat Ratna" to him for his great contribution to the world of music.

Felicitating Mr. Balamuralikrishna on his getting the French honour of Chevalier des Arts et Letters (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters), she said with all the awards and accolades at the international level and his outstanding contribution to classical music, his appeal was not restricted to the purists or the elite connoisseur alone. He had endeared himself to the public at large by his tasteful and melodious contributions to light music and films, she said.

"It is my firm conviction that Mr. Balamuralikrishna deserves no less than the Bharat Ratna. A day will come when we will be able to influence even the Centre and God willing when such a day comes, I will see to it that he is awarded Bharat Ratna," Ms. Jayalalithaa said. By conferring the award on him, "India will only be honouring herself."

Referring to his rendition of a new raga, "Jaya Jaya Lalithe," which he had composed and dedicated to her, she expressed the wish to be born as his disciple if there was another birth. "I would like to learn Carnatic music under his tutelage and become such a great singer that my Guru will say `sabhash' after hearing me sing," she said.

She conferred the title of `Gandharva Gana Samrat" on him.

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