Gangubhai chosen for Swaralaya Puraskaram

New Delhi, Apr 9 (UNI) Nonagenarian vocalist Gangubhai Hangal, the doyen of Kirana gharana, has been chosen for the prestigious "Swaralaya Puraskaram" for 2006 in recognition of her life-time contribution to the heritage of Indian classical music.

The annual Puraskaram carries a cash prize of Rs one lakh, a sculpture and a copper plaque.

"Words cannot express the depth and magnitude of Gangubhai's musical renderings and the quality of her voice. She could create a personal mode of musical rendition and that has been appreciated by a number of generations," former Supreme Court judge and Swaralaya President Balakrishna Eradi told mediapersons here today.

Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, T Brinda, Bismillah Khan, M S Subbulakshmi, Ali Akbar Khan, D K Pattammal, Ravishankar and M Balamuralikrishna were the previous recipients of the "Swaralaya Puraskaram," instituted by the "Swaralaya," a leading cultural society based in Kerala.

The Ninety-four-year-old Gangubhai is perhaps the last of the titans and represents the quintessence of purity and nobility of Hindustani classical music. Her deep, sonorous voice delightfully suits to the "Khayal style" of vocal and this voice continues to enthral audience across age and cultural boundaries.

Though she was born into a family of Carnatic musicians in Hangal, a village in Karnataka, she developed special interest in Hindustani music. Gangubhai's fondness for the Hindustani music, instead of the more popular Carnatic form in South India, made her one of the staunchest vocalist of the Kirana gharana under the tutelage of Pandit Rambhau Kundgolkar, popularly known as Sawai Gandharva.

As one of the most eminent classicist who follows the emotional innuendoes of Indian music, Gangubhai has been conferred with Padma Bhushan in 1971 and Padma Vibhushan in 2000. She has won several prestigious accolades for her contribution which includes the Manik Ratna Award in 1998, the Dinanath Pratishthan Award in 1997, the Tansen award in 1984, the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1973, and the Karnataka State Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1962.

UNI