M A I N   N E W S

Bismillah Khan to perform in Parliament today
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 6
Benares-based shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan’s life revolves around music. It is perhaps this passion that has lent the frail octogenarian the strength to fulfil his desire to perform for parliamentarians at Parliament House on Thursday.

Bharat Ratna Bismillah Khan and Mumbai-based vocalist Dr Soma Ghosh will hold a ‘jugalbandi’ concert at Balayogi Auditorium at the Parliament library building.

President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi are among the dignitaries who will attend the concert.

The programme is being organised by the Lok Sabha Secretariat in association with Madhu Murchana, an organisation which promotes Indian art, music and culture.

Addressing mediapersons from a wheelchair here, Ustad Bismillah Khan said although he was old and had lost his teeth, he felt young the moment he picked up his shehnai.

The Lok Sabha Speaker said he was happy that Ustad Bismillah Khan was performing in the Parliament complex.

The ustad said he wanted the government to give opportunities to all classical musicians and give recognition to his disciples.

Introducing Dr Ghosh as his daughter, the shehnai maestro said he encouraged her to practise to overcome her hesitation of singing along.

Looking back at her first ‘jugalbandi’ experience with Ustad Bismillah Khan in Mumbai, Dr Ghosh said never before in the history of classical music in India had a musician performed with a stranger.

To make her comfortable, Ustad Bismillah Khan had asked her to forget that she was singing with the recipient of the Bharat Ratna.

The ustad said he could not play the kind of shehnai his maternal uncle Ali Baksh played.