VISAKHAPATNAM: The Kalabharati Auditorium was echoed with the melodious rendition of Grammy-winner veena maestro, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt on the first day of the seven-day ‘National Eminence Award Function’ of the Visakha Music and Dance Academy here on Saturday.
The audience went into a trans as the Hindustani classical maestro played the soul-soothing ‘Jog Raag’ on Mohan Veena, a Hawaiian Guitar modified by himself.
“I am very thankful to the people here. It feels great when your work is recognised by audience and I am quite fortunate that people love my work. Awards of this kind are pats on the back for the dedication and sacrifices that an artist makes for the love of art,” the Padma Shri awardee said.
Manoj Vaibhav Gems N Jewellers Pvt Ltd (Vaibhav Jewellers), the sponsor of the Visakha Music and Dance Academy National Eminence Award felicitated
the maestro with ‘Swarna Kamalam’.
“Awards inspire an artist to go ahead in life and create more wonderful music,” the Padma Shri awardee said after being feted by Keerthana Grandhi, director of the Manoj Vaibhav Gems N Jewellers Pvt Ltd.
“The present generations are disconnected with Indian Classical music and the institutions where children are taught classical music are contributing to it in a great way,” Bhatt said. He was accompanied by his son Salil Bhatt on Veena and Ram Kumar Mishra on Tabla.