Latest news with #Sarod
The Hindu
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Memorial event for Sarod maestro Rajeev Taranath on June 11
A memorial event honouring Sarod maestro Rajeev Taranath will be held at the Karnataka State Dr. Gangubai Hangal University of Music and Performing Arts in Mysuru on June 11 at 11 a.m. As part of the tribute, the third edition of the book, Sarod Svarayana, chronicling the life and musical journey of Mr. Taranath, will be released. The book is edited by Ganesh Aminagada and Raghupati Tamhankar, and will be launched by sitarist and author C.S. Sarvamangala. Theatre personality Kappanna will share his memories and long-standing association with the maestro. M.G. Manjunath, Registrar (Evaluation), and Rekha, finance officer and acting registrar of the university will be present. Vice-Chancellor Nagesh V. Bettakote will preside over the programme. Students of the university will pay tribute through a special musical performance.
The Hindu
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Cultural programme to mark Rajeev Taranath's first death anniversary on June 11
The Pandit Rajeev Taranath Memorial Trust will be organising a cultural programme in memory of the Sarod maestro on the occasion of his first death anniversary on June 11. The cultural programme scheduled to be held at Veene Sheshanna Bhavan's Ganabharathi in Kuvempunagar in Mysuru at 6 p.m. Writer Sumangala, tabla player Pandit Udayaraj Karpoor and others will deliver talks. 'This will be followed by a Carnatic veena recital by Vidushi Sahana. She will be accompanied by vidwan K.U. Jayachandra Rao on Mridangam and vidwan G.S. Ramanujan on Ghata,' a statement said.
Times of Oman
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times of Oman
Where the Oud meets the Sarod: A musical bridge across civilisations
MUSCAT: The haunting resonance of the Oud, one of the oldest stringed instruments in the Arab world, continues to echo across generations. But few may know that its musical lineage spans continents — from Arabia to Afghanistan, and from there to the heart of India, evolving into the Sarod, now a cornerstone of Indian classical music. At the crossroads of this journey stands Joydeep Mukherjee, an eminent Indian musician and cultural historian based out of eastern Indian city of Kolkata, who has dedicated his life to reviving these forgotten connections — not only through performance, but also through painstaking restoration and research. 'The lute has long held its place on the world stage,' said Mukherjee in a chat with Times of Oman. 'But it is the Arabian Oud and Afghan Rabab that shaped the journey of the fretless lute family. These instruments didn't just travel — they transformed, enriched by the musical soil of every region they touched.' The story of this transformation began in 6th and 7th century Arabia, where the Oud and Rabab gained prominence. From the Middle East, they journeyed eastward, entering Afghanistan, where the Rabab emerged as a distinct and popular folk instrument. By the 13th century, Afghan soldiers and horse traders brought the Rabab to India — an instrument once played while marching into battle, now seeking new life in a land of melody. Over time, North Indian musicians began experimenting with the Afghan Rabab, attempting to adapt it to Indian ragas. Perhaps the most pivotal transformation came in the 16th century, when Miya Tansen, legendary court musician of Emperor Akbar, reimagined the Rabab to better serve Indian classical music. This larger, deeper version came to be known as the 'Dhrupad Rabab', later evolving into the 'Tanseni' or 'Seni Rabab.' The next century saw Jaffer Khan, a descendant of Tansen, replace the Rabab's wooden components with steel and wood, creating a new instrument — the Sursingar. Parallel innovations followed in the central Indian city of Gwalior, where Hyder Khan and Ghulam Ali Khan Bangash introduced metallic strings and steel fretboards, naming the refined instrument Sarod — meaning 'sweet sound' in Persian. It was Ghulam Ali's son Nanne Khan, and later his descendants — most notably Hafiz Ali Khan and the globally renowned Amjad Ali Khan — who brought the Sarod to international acclaim. Their interpretations made the Sarod not only a household name in Indian music but also a symbol of Indo-Middle Eastern musical kinship. Yet, parallel innovations were quietly flourishing elsewhere. In Shahjahanpur, Murad Ali deepened the Sarod's tone by adopting metallic strings. His lineage — Abdullah Khan and Mohammed Ameer Khan — made further refinements, even developing the Sur-Rabab, a hybrid of Sursingar and Tanseni Rabab, in the 1880s in British Bengal. But perhaps no one explored the full potential of these instruments like Radhika Mohan Maitra during the mid-20th century. A visionary of the Shahjahanpur Gharana, he created multiple unique hybrids: the Mohanveena (Sarod + Sursingar), the Dilbahar (Sarod + Surbahar), and Nabadeepa (Sursingar + Sarangi). Parallel to these developments, Ustad Wazir Khan, a descendant of Tansen's daughter and court musician of Rampur, trained the iconic Baba Allaudin Khan. The latter revolutionised the Sarod's design — enlarging the sound box, lengthening the body, and increasing the number of sympathetic strings. These changes formed the blueprint for what would become the Senia Maihar Gharana's Sarod — played by Ali Akbar Khan, Bahadur Khan, and Sharan Rani, among others. The evolutionary arc continued with Buddhadeb Dasgupta, principal disciple of Radhika Mohan Maitra. In the 1960s and '70s, he introduced a child-friendly 36-inch Sarod model, further democratising access to this once-royal instrument. Today, when many classical musicians chase stage time and limelight, Joydeep Mukherjee has chosen a more introspective path — tracing the past, reviving forgotten sounds, and giving life to instruments that were fading into silence. A grand disciple of Radhika Mohan Maitra, Mukherjee has, over the past 15 years, revived and restored fretless lutes like the Tanseni Rabab, Sursingar, Sur-Rabab, and Mohanveena. In 2025, he completed the restoration of every significant Sarod variant from the Shahjahanpur Gharana, spanning more than two centuries of innovation — from Murad Ali to Buddhadeb Dasgupta. 'Music is universal. It should not be restricted by geography,' Mukherjee said. 'The Middle East has shaped India's musical traditions for over a thousand years. There was cultural intermingling for millennia. My work is a tribute to that shared history.' Mukherjee hopes that his revival of these instruments sends a message across borders. 'To those in the Arab world who cherish the Oud and Rabab, know that these instruments live on — not just in memory, but in sound, performance, and evolution.' In a time when tradition and innovation often stand at odds, Mukherjee is proving they can co-exist. Music is not just sound — it is memory, migration, and meaning. Through his hands, the lute family sings again, telling stories that span deserts, courts, and centuries.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Leander Paes Conferred with the Prestigious P C Chandra Puraskaar 2025
One of the most prestigious honours, the P C Chandra Puraskaar, was awarded this year to tennis legend Shri Leander Paes. The award was conferred on 11 May 2025 at a grand ceremony hosted at Science City Auditorium, Kolkata. Instituted by the P C Chandra Group, the Puraskaar recognises outstanding achievement across various fields and celebrates the values of excellence and integrity espoused by the Group's visionary founder, Shri Purna Chandra Chandra. The award ceremony, is held annually on the founder's birthday, paying tribute to his legacy by honouring India's most distinguished personalities who have made significant contributions to society and the nation. Now in its 32nd year, the P C Chandra Puraskaar carries an honorarium of ₹20,00,000/- (Rupees Twenty Lakhs only), which is fully tax-exempt. It remains one of the most respected awards given by a private institution in India. Over the last three decades, the award has been presented to an illustrious array of national icons across disciplines — from music and medicine to sports, literature, social work, and science. Past recipients included ISRO Chairman Shri S. Somanath(2024), World Boxing Champion Smt. Mary Kom (2023), Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan (2022), cricket legend Kapil Dev (2020–21), Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty (2019), legendary singer Smt. Asha Bhosle (2018), and Nobel Peace Laureate Shri Kailash Satyarthi (2017), among many others. In 2025, the award was presented to Shri Leander Paes, one of India's greatest sporting icons and a global ambassador of Indian tennis. Known for his passion, perseverance, and extraordinary achievements on the international tennis circuit, Paes has won 18 Grand Slam titles and is the first Indian to have competed in seven consecutive Olympic Games, earning a bronze medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. His career stands as a testament to the spirit of excellence that the P C Chandra Puraskaar aims to honour. The award ceremony has consistently drawn the presence of esteemed dignitaries from the fields of governance, law, and public service. It has been graced in the past by Governors of West Bengal, including Tribhuban Narayan Singh, Shri Viren J Shah, Shri M K Narayanan, and Shri Keshari Nath Tripathi, along with other eminent personalities such as the Chief Justice of Kolkata High Court, Chairman of the Human Rights Commission, Former Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Somnath Chattopadhyay, and Former Chief Justice of India Justice Altamas Kabir, among others. About the P C Chandra GroupFounded in 1939, the P C Chandra Group has become a name synonymous with trust, tradition, and quality. Best known for its flagship jewellery business, the Group has grown into one of Eastern India's leading business houses. Its jewellery is cherished by patrons across the world and remains a symbol of craftsmanship and elegance. Over the decades, the P C Chandra Group has diversified into various sectors through its group companies, including chemicals and adhesives, software development, real estate, hospitality, social greenery, rubber plantation, rental. Across all its ventures, the P C Chandra Group has upheld its core values of excellence in service, product integrity, and a commitment to social welfare. The Group is also known for its social responsibility initiatives that includes support for education and healthcare, women's empowerment programs, and the promotion of cultural and sporting activities, along with significant efforts towards environmental sustainability. Through the P C Chandra Puraskaar, the Group not only honours individual excellence but also reinforces its own commitment to nurturing and recognising the highest standards of achievement. As the P C Chandra Group marks over 85 years of service and growth, the 2025 edition of the Puraskaar stands as a powerful reminder of its enduring legacy — one that continues to celebrate India's finest and inspires future generations.
Business Standard
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Standard
Leander Paes Conferred with the Prestigious P C Chandra Puraskaar 2025
Kolkata, May 2025 — One of the most prestigious honours, the P C Chandra Puraskaar, was awarded this year to tennis legend Shri Leander Paes. The award was conferred on 11 May 2025 at a grand ceremony hosted at Science City Auditorium, Kolkata. Instituted by the P C Chandra Group, the Puraskaar recognises outstanding achievement across various fields and celebrates the values of excellence and integrity espoused by the Group's visionary founder, Shri Purna Chandra Chandra. The award ceremony, is held annually on the founder's birthday, paying tribute to his legacy by honouring India's most distinguished personalities who have made significant contributions to society and the nation. Now in its 32nd year, the P C Chandra Puraskaar carries an honorarium of ₹20,00,000/- (Rupees Twenty Lakhs only), which is fully tax-exempt. It remains one of the most respected awards given by a private institution in India. Over the last three decades, the award has been presented to an illustrious array of national icons across disciplines — from music and medicine to sports, literature, social work, and science. Past recipients included ISRO Chairman Shri S. Somanath(2024), World Boxing Champion Smt. Mary Kom (2023), Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan (2022), cricket legend Kapil Dev (2020–21), Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty (2019), legendary singer Smt. Asha Bhosle (2018), and Nobel Peace Laureate Shri Kailash Satyarthi (2017), among many others. In 2025, the award was presented to Shri Leander Paes, one of India's greatest sporting icons and a global ambassador of Indian tennis. Known for his passion, perseverance, and extraordinary achievements on the international tennis circuit, Paes has won 18 Grand Slam titles and is the first Indian to have competed in seven consecutive Olympic Games, earning a bronze medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. His career stands as a testament to the spirit of excellence that the P C Chandra Puraskaar aims to honour. The award ceremony has consistently drawn the presence of esteemed dignitaries from the fields of governance, law, and public service. It has been graced in the past by Governors of West Bengal, including Tribhuban Narayan Singh, Shri Viren J Shah, Shri M K Narayanan, and Shri Keshari Nath Tripathi, along with other eminent personalities such as the Chief Justice of Kolkata High Court, Chairman of the Human Rights Commission, Former Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Somnath Chattopadhyay, and Former Chief Justice of India Justice Altamas Kabir, among others. About the P C Chandra Group Founded in 1939, the P C Chandra Group has become a name synonymous with trust, tradition, and quality. Best known for its flagship jewellery business, the Group has grown into one of Eastern India's leading business houses. Its jewellery is cherished by patrons across the world and remains a symbol of craftsmanship and elegance. Over the decades, the P C Chandra Group has diversified into various sectors through its group companies, including chemicals and adhesives, software development, real estate, hospitality, social greenery, rubber plantation, rental. Across all its ventures, the P C Chandra Group has upheld its core values of excellence in service, product integrity, and a commitment to social welfare. The Group is also known for its social responsibility initiatives that includes support for education and healthcare, women's empowerment programs, and the promotion of cultural and sporting activities, along with significant efforts towards environmental sustainability. Through the P C Chandra Puraskaar, the Group not only honours individual excellence but also reinforces its own commitment to nurturing and recognising the highest standards of achievement. As the P C Chandra Group marks over 85 years of service and growth, the 2025 edition of the Puraskaar stands as a powerful reminder of its enduring legacy — one that continues to celebrate India's finest and inspires future generations.
