Abhay Sopori dedicates Ustad Bismillah Khan award to J

Srinagar, Jun 6 (UNI) Santoor maestro Abhay Rustum Sopori has dedicated the coveted Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar (award) conferred on him by the Sangeet Natak Academy for 2006 to his motherland Jammu and Kashmir.

The young Santoor maestro, the grandson of Pandit Shamboo Nath Sopori and son of Pandit Bhajan Sopori, has made new innovations in Santoor by introducing open string concept, developing bean Ang and some new techniques.

He has also invented, designed and introduced a new 30 stringed instrument and named it Sur Santoor.

Besides being the first and the youngest musician to receive the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Purskar for 2006, Abhay Sopori has also won Young's India Award 2006 and Kalawant Samman 2006 for excellence in music and in Santoor.

On the occasion, he said the love for culture, heritage and people of his state has always inspired him to march ahead. ''This has inspired me to discover new heights and achieve cherished goals in the field,'' the musician added.

He also announced that the Sa Pa Ma Academy, funded by renowned Sopori gharana of Sopore, would take the rich cultural treasure of Kashmir to the international market and expand the orbit of classical and Sufiyana music.

Abhay Sopori said the Sa Ma Pa Academy would provide every kind of support to the budding musicians of Jammu and Kashmir. ''I want to help in cultural revival of Jammu and Kashmir and make it a global cultural capital,'' he added.

UNI