Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 26: ICCR under its horizon series hosted a befitting tribute to music maestro Vijay Malla, on his first death anniversary, at auditorium of Government College for Women, Gandhi Nagar, here today.
The program titled “Musical Tribute to Vijay Malla’, held in collaboration with Indian Cultural was conducted by Ravinder Kaul, well known cultural personality. Introducing the late maestro, he said that death is the ultimate destiny of all mortals but musicians and singers keep on living through their songs and creations which are sung and listened by generations to come.
He said Vijay Malla, gifted with a soulful melodious voice and humane countenance sang in many languages. But his special contribution to the modern Kashmiri music in form of umpteen bhajans and ghazals, will keep him and his art immortal in hearts of the Kashmiri speaking communities all over the globe.
In his welcome address the Regional Director of ICCR Jammu Balwant Thakur said that Council feels privileged to be a part of a programme being organized to pay musical tribute to one of the most celebrated singer of the State of Jammu and Kashmir who brought the music of the state in the national limelight. He thanked the whole music fraternity of the state particularly Sham Sajan, President Indian Cultural Forum, for making this event a real musical tribute to late Vijay Malla.
Vijay Malla was born in the Mallapur locality of Habbakadal in the district of Srinagar on the 27th February, 1956 in a prosperous Kashmiri Brahmin family. Having inherited singing from his mother, he learnt classical vocal music at the age of 10, from Prem Sangeet Niketan, Kashmir and later trained under the guidance of Pandit Brij Krishen Shair and Pandit Jagar Nath Shivpori. He achieved expertise in ghazals from a well-known ghazal singer of Kashmir Pandit Vishnupuran Dhar. He gained acclaim in 1980s when he sang ghazals like ‘zinda rozan bapat ch maran luk’, ‘na drav hawes kanh’, ‘nazar loosim temis charan’ etc. He has sung many ghazals together with reputed singers like Anwar, Manhas, Anup Jalota, Pankaj Udhas, Ahmad Hussain, Mohd. Hussain and Peenaz Masani. He has also staged many items in Kalyanji-Anandji’s and Ravinder’s Jains nights in Mumbai. He served the music world and ruled it for 40 years while serving in song and drama division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.
Today’s program began with projection of a short film on Vijay Malla, produced by the cultural NGO Athwaas. It was followed with of musical tributes through soulful singing by quartet of young singers such as Ankit Hashia, Vishal Pandita, Vaneet Raina and Vaishali Pandita, who presented Vijay Malla’s popular bhajan. It was followed by a solo bhajan by Vibhuti Malla, daughter of Vijay Malla..
Other well known senior singers who also sang as tribute to the ‘mast malang’ master artist included Sunayana Kaul, Ravi Bhan, Aditya Bhanu, Suraj Singh, Kailash Mehra and Sham Sajan. The instrumental tributes were paid by Prashotam Kumar and Karan Malhotra, Tabla, Kuldeep Singh, Synthesizer, Bua Ditta Kauswalia, Harmonium and Sanjay Kumar Pashi, Guitar.
The participating artists were also honored on the occasion and the awards were sponsored by Anil Padha Chairman of Young Blood Association. Sham Sajan, President Indian Cultural Forum presented the vote of thanks.
Prominent among those present on the occasion included Israr Ahmed Khan, IPS, Senior Superintendent of Police, Samba, Anil Padha, Honorary Secretary, Red Cross, Jammu, Pritpal Singh Betab, T R Raina and number of artistes, artists, musicians and members of civil society.
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