Music conductor Zubin Mehta honoured in US

Washington, Dec 4: Mumbai-born music conductor Zubin Mehta was the first Indian among those honoured here for lifetime achievement in their respective fields in performing arts.

Mehta is the first Indian to receive this award.

Besides Mehta, other who were honoured at the 29th annual Kennedy Center Honors in a glittering ceremony at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts were Oscar-winning film director Steven Spielberg Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, crooners Dolly Parton and Smokey Robinson.

US President George W Bush and First Lady Laura Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, actor Tom Hanks, Sidney Poitier, actresses Reese Witherspoon and Joan Collins, were among the invitees to the gala event.

Violinist Pinchas Zuckerman paid a touching tribute to 70-year-old Mehta, who has led Los Angeles Philharmonic and York Philharmonic, among others, during his illustrious career.

He was also praised by violinist Itzhak Perlman. ''You lead with your eyes and speak through your heart. Your conducting is communicating,'' Perlman said to Mehta.

UNI