Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 9: Nirvana Academy, a well known Cultural Club organised 8th season of Pandit Uma Dutt Sangeet Mahotsav to pay tributes to Late Pandit Uma Dutt Sharma, great musician of his time (April 1900-1973 and father and guru of Santoor Maestro Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma) at KL Saigal Hall, here.
The festival started with the musical contest in classical vocal, classical instrumental, folk song, light song, light instrumental categories followed by the mesmerized performances by the children of all ages. During the contest about 200 participants in solo, duet and group category from different parts of Jammu region took part and expressed their talent.
Singer Guitarist Sr. Jagdeep Singh, and noted instrumentalist Puran Singh Wazir were the jury member.
General Secretary Nirvana Academy Meenakshi Sharma threw light on the life and achievements of Pandit Uma Dutt Sharma, who was one of the few artists from Jammu, who used to give performances in vocal music from Lahore Music station.
It was Pandit ji’s stay in Kashmir when he got himself completely involved in the santoor, and mastered the finest techniques of playing the said instrument. Through his devotion and sincerity, to his new assignment, Pandit ji created new place for santoor which often was played only as an ‘accompany i.e background’ in sufi style of singing and made it an attraction for many from ardent followers of Indian classical music.
Pandit Uma Dutt Sharma later transformed the same i.e combination of rich knowledge, perfect skill and spontaneous creativity of the instrument to his son Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma who now is mesmerising the audience all across the world through his magical touch on the strings.
The main motive to organise Sangeet Mahootsav is to promote and preserve different forms of folk music, Indian classical music and to explore hidden talent in the youth of the state so that they can be able to compete with the other talented youth of the country.
Nirvana Academy had organised various such programmes earlier also and succeeded in bringing all such type of talented artists under one umbrella. Smiley Tanuja anchored the programme and Sumit Sharma Cultural head NA coordinated the programme.
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