(VOVworld)- Hello and welcome to the Special Music Show on Saturday. In tonight’s show, we will introduce you to winners of Bharat Ratna awards, the highest civilian award of India
.
Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conferred "in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order", without distinction of race, occupation, position, or sex. The award was originally limited to achievements in the arts, literature, science and public services but the government expanded the criteria to include "any field of human endeavour" in December 2011. Recommendations for the Bharat Ratna are made by the Prime Minister to the President, with a maximum of three nominees being awarded per year. Recipients receive a
Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a peapal-leaf–shaped medallion; there is no monetary grant associated with the award. Bharat Ratna recipients rank seventh in the Indian order of precedence, but are constitutionally prohibited from using the award name as a title.
Ustad Bismillah Khan was a great Indian shehnai maestro of Benares and awarded with the Bharat Ratna in the year 2001 being the third classical musician. Bharat Ratna is the uppermost national honour in India. He got the fame worldwide for performing the shehnai more than eight decades.
Ustad Bismillah Khan was a great Indian shehnai maestro of Benares |
Perhaps he was the only one performing the shehnai (a famous classical instrument) single-handedly. In the All India Music Conference Calcutta in 1937; he gave shehnai the center stage of Indian music. He was one of the best musicians in the Indian classical music and he is renowned for his monopoly over the shehnai and Hindu-Muslim unity. In his whole life he had played shehnai to his audiences all across the world and spread the message of peace and love through his music. He was fully dedicated to his art and even it is also considered that he referred his shehnai as his begum after the death of his wife. On his death, shehnai was also buried with his body. On VOV5 show today, we will play a piece of his performance called Raga Bihaag.
Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, who was awarded
Bharat Ratna this year, is a celebrated exponent of Kirana gharana |
You are listening to VOV5 special music program introducing winners of Bharat Ratna awards, the highest civilian award of India. Next is Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, the legendary exponent of Hindustani classical music, one of the winners of the Bharat Ratna award. The vocalist belongs to 'kirna' gharana, caps a distinguished career spanning more than seven decades since he first performed at the age of 19. Born in Gadag district of Karnataka on February 19, 1922, Joshi has already bagged several prestigious honours, including Padma Vibhushan in 1991, Padma Bhushan in 1985 and Padma Shri in 1972.
Pandit Bhimsen Joshi is the sixth person from the field of art and culture to get the Bharat Ratna award and the second vocalist to get the highest civilian award. Tonight, on VOV5, let’s listen to one of his songs Raga Todi.
You have been listening to VOV 5 special music program featuring two winners of the Bharat Ratna awards, the highest civilian award of India. They are Ustad Bismillah Khan, a great Indian shehnai maestro of Benares and Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, the legendary exponent of Hindustani classical music. We hope that you have had a nice time with our show after learning something about Indian music and musical instrument. Thanks for your listening and have a nice weekend.