Date: 23rd October 2002, By: Padmabushan Pandit Jasraj:-
The contemporary doyen of North Indian vocals, Sangeet Martand PANDIT JASRAJ needs little introduction. In honour of the glory of his unparalleled living legend, awards and titles have not only been created and bestowed upon him but have also been instituted in his name, thus these awards gaining more in prestige and value on account of being associsted with his name. So much so that even a foreign university like the University of Toronto has instituted a scholarship in his name for young canadians wishing to train music. Also the first distinguished visor award was created specially in honour of Panditji by the same university in 1999 for the first time since its inception 200 years ago. A rollingtrophy insituted by the Rotary Club of Mumbai (shivaji Park), an award by the public of Pune, an auditorium in Newyork, all in his name stand testimony to his greatness. These are unprecedented events in the history of classical music, there being no other living musician in this genre whose name has been immortalized in his lifetime.
His music not only caresses the soul, but is also known to heal the mind and bodyof listerners. Indeed, through his pilgrimageof music, he has been a true cultural ambassador for Indian to distant lands dotting the globe.
