About the Artistes

Pankaj Udhas

History

Pankaj Udhas, the name by itself sounds sweet and reminds one of a voice that is as sweet as honey itself. The man deserves the credit for making ghazals popular at a time when it was losing its foothold over the masses. And today amidst the cacophony of fast and pop music he has proved that ghazals still charm music lovers the world over.

Pankaj was born on May 17, 1951 in Jetpur near Rajkot in Gujarat to a family of Zamindars. With his elder brother, Manhar Udhas already into stage performances, young Pankaj needed no initiation into the world of music. Even before he was five, Pankaj became conscious of his singing skills. But it was only after his first stage performance during the Indo-Chinese war that the music bug bit hard.

And then began a journey for an identity in the film world. So insulated the industry was with Mohd. Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh and Manna Dey that Pankaj found it difficult to breakthrough. But he was fortunate to get his first break in a film called Kamna way back in 1972, which to his bad luck never saw the light of the day. Disappointed not to get the right kind of break in films, he waited but in vain.

And then life took a right turn for the youngster. Once Pankaj heard his brother Manhar's Urdu teacher listen to Mehdi Hasan and Begum Akhtar. So much was he attracted towards this form of music that he went on to learn Urdu to be able to grasp the depth of ghazals. Pankaj Udhas found his destiny.

From his first ghazal album Aahat released in 1980, Pankaj has released around 40 albums with countless number of compilations. In all his albums he has always tried to present ghazals in a manner more appealing to the masses yet maintaining the essence of ghazals. Since singing ghazals by itself is a very limited area with very little scope for innovativeness, Pankaj has tried to use the little scope to the best as he could. In the process he has given the world of music some amazing ghazals, which will remain in the hearts of music lovers for time immemorial.

With ghazals happening along smoothly, Pankaj Udhas also made his foray into films gaining a lot of popularity with the ever popular Chitthi Aayee Hai from the film Naam bringing tears to every music lover's eyes.

Interesting Bytes

1. He loves to listen to Begum Akhtar and Mehndi Hasan just like any other ghazal lover would.
2. He still listens to The Beatles and feels they are the only band who can be called as true pop musicians.
3. He likes to play golf and cricket and would love to spend hours together with his family only if he gets time for it.
4. He sang Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon and won for himself a prize of Rs. 51 that a gentleman in the crowd generously sponsored seeing his talent. The young boy was so moved by the episode that he made a firm decision to take up music professionally.
5. He is closely associated with organizations like Cancer Patients Aid Society, Parents Thalassemia Unit, Spastic Society of India and MIND.
6. He works extensively for eradication of leprosy, thalassemia, cancer and for the cause of the mentally retarded.

Ustad Amjad Ali Khan

History

He was all of 6 years old, when Amjad Ali Khan gave his first recital of Sarod. It was the beginning of yet another glorious chapter in the history of Indian classical music. Taught by his father Haafiz Ali Khan, a musician to the royal family of Gwalior, Amjad Ali Khan was born to the illustrious Bangash lineage rooted in the Senia Bangash School of music. Today he shoulders the sixth generation inheritance of this legendary lineage.

He has performed at the WOMAD Festival in Adelaide and New Plymouth, Taranaki in New Zealand, WOMAD Rivermead Festival in UK, Edinburgh Music Festival, World Beat Festival in Brisbane, Summer Arts Festival in Seattle, BBC Proms, International Poets Festival in Rome, Shiraz Festival, UNESCO, Hong Kong Arts Festival, Adelaide Music Festival, 1200 Years celebration of Frankfurt and Schonbrunn in Vienna.

In the matter of awards, Amjad Ali Khan has the privilege of winning the kind of honours and citations at his relatively young age, which, for many other artistes would have taken a lifetime. He is a recipient of the UNESCO Award, Padma Vibhushan (Highest Indian civilian award), Unicef's National Ambassadorship, The Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum and Hon'ry Doctorates from the Universities of York in 1997, England, Delhi University in 1998, Rabindra Bharati University in 2007, Kolkata and the Vishva Bharti (Deshikottam) in Shantiniketan in 2001.

He has been a regular performer at the Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Kennedy Center, Santury Hall (First Indian performer), House of Commons, Theater Dela Ville, Muee Guimet, ESPLANADE in Singapore, Palais beaux-arts, Mozart Hall in Frankfurt, Chicago Symphony Center, St. James Palace and the Opera House in Australia.

Interesting Bytes

1. He has composed several ragas to which he has given new life. These include one called Subhalakshmi, after his wife Mrs. Subbulakshmi Khan.
2. Other ragas include Kamalshree, Haafiz Kauns (after his father and guru) and Lalita Dhwani.