Date:05/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/05/stories/2008110561071200.htm

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Bhimsen Joshi happy

PUNE: Bhimsen Joshi, the legendary exponent of Hindustani classical music, was extremely happy for being chosen for the Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award.

“I am extremely happy to accept this award on behalf of all the maestros who have contributed to ‘khayal gayaki’ of Indian classical music,” the legendary maestro told PTI late on Monday evening.

The honour for the 86-year-old vocalist, who belongs to ‘kirna’ gharana, caps a distinguished career spanning over seven decades.

It was after a gap of seven years that the government selected a performing artist for the award, the previous recipient being shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan.

A recipient of several awards, including the Padma Vibhushan, the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, Pandit Joshi has added his own distinctive style excelling in gamakar, meend and tanakriya and adapting characteristics from other gharanas to create a unique vocal idiom. — PTI