Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Yesudas award presented

Staff Reporter

Only constant struggle and perseverance can make a musician, says Yesudas

RECOGNITION: Playback singer K.J. Yesudas handing over the award instituted in his name by Swaralaya to music director A.R. Rahman on Monday. Culture Minister M.A. Baby is also seen - Photo: S. Gopakumar

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Only constant struggle and perseverance can make a musician; A.R. Rahman is the result of such a long struggle, said playback singer K.J. Yesudas.

He was speaking at a ceremony organised by Swaralaya at the Suryakanthi auditorium on Monday to give away the seventh Yesudas award to music director A.R. Rahman. The singer presented the award consisting of Rs. 1 lakh, a statuette designed by Kanayi Kunhiraman and a citation to Rahman.

In his address, poet O.N.V. Kurup said the world was to be conquered through music and not through wars and weapons. It is rare for a singer's voice to become part of the cultural pride of a nation. But this is exactly what happened in the case of Yesudas and Rahman, he added.

In his reply, Rahman recounted the days he worked in the studio of noted music director Arujunan `Master' on a salary of Rs. 50. The most beautiful voice in the world is that of Yesudas, he added.

Education Minister M. A. Baby inaugurated the programme. Mayor C. Jayan Babu participated.

The award ceremony was followed by a panchavadyam performance led by Mattannur Sankaran Kutty. After the performance, the seven musicians gave away their instruments to Rehman. Then it was the turn of talents discovered through the `Gandharva Sandhya' TV programme to render the Rehman song `Chinna Chinna Asai... '

A ganamela featuring the songs of Mr. Rahman and those of his father R. K. Sekhar was also organised on the occasion. Yesudas and K. S. Chitra led the team of singers who took part in the ganamela.

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