Songsters on song
MEENA BANERJEE
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Kolkata musicians were recognised for their services.
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PATENT TALENT Debashish Bhattacharya with his guitar.
"BBC's World Music Award is more than a pleasant shock," not only for a thrilled Debashish Bhattacharya, but for his city of joy as well, because he is perhaps the first Indian to bag this honour. Instituted by the BBC in 2000, the World Music Award has a history of real tough contests.
"The list of nominees for 2007 included such celebrities as Asha Bhonsle, Anoushka Shankar and A.R. Rahman from India, Dadawa from China, seven-time Grammy winner Ry Cooder to name a few. Among other recipients of this year's award are singers from Africa (Mahmoud Ahmed and Ali Farkatoure), America (Gogol Bordello), France (Camille), Lebanon (Ghada Shabeir)," says the guitar exponent.
"I was initiated into vocal music by my parents but later opted for the guitar and trained with Pandit Brij Bhushan Kabraji, who introduced this Western instrument in the arena of Indian classical music," explains Bhattacharya. "My contribution? My self-designed and patented Trinity Guitars can produce the finer nuances of gayaki and tantrakari ang of raga sangeet. I actually try to sing through my instruments. Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty gave me invaluable guidance in this regard."
The "most cherished moment" his life was when he met Tau Moe in person. "The nonagenarian maestro was very happy when, during the 75th year celebration of the `Indian' guitar in Hawaii, I felicitated him by offering him a memento and my humble recital," reminisces Bhattacharya.
That Debashish Bhattacharya can mesmerise his listeners was apparent during his superb renditions in Kolkata recently. The award ceremony will be held in London on May 27, and the BBC has requested him to give a recital on the occasion.
Yuva Puraskar
Another young musician, Sandipan Samajpati (vocal), bagged the first Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar. Instituted by the Sangeet Natak Akademi recently, the award felicitates brilliant musicians below 35 years of age.
This disciple of Pandit Manas Chakraborty and Pandit Ram Ashray Jha is blessed with a mellifluous voice and relentless quest for knowledge. Initiated into a gharana that imbibed unique features of almost all the major schools of Hindustani classical music, he is emerging as a musician with his own individual style. Other musicians awarded include Abhay Rustam Sopori (santoor) from Delhi, Majari Asnare Kelkar (vocal), and Niladri Kumar (sitar) from Maharashtra.
Jayati Bagchi is a well-known vocalist, and one of her renowned gurus was Ustad Munawwar Ali Khan. Following the footsteps of her dada-guru Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan `Sabrang', she has dedicated herself to the cause of serving the aged and ailing musicians of the city. Bagchi, the Managing Trustee of Sabrang Music Trust, Kolkata, received the Social Justice Award for her service for "facilitating access to essential medicines, treatment and protection of health rights" on the occasion of World Health Day 2007 at Birla Sabhagar.
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