THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Singer K J Yesudas was on Tuesday presented the Swati Sangeetha Puraskaram for his invaluable contributions to music, but it was the repayment of a three-decade old debt that gave the occasion added sweetness.
The Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi handed the singer a cheque for Rs 6,000, a sum Yesudas had spent from his pocket for Akademi purposes during his brief stint as its chairman in the 1970s.
Although the project - ‘tiny’ gold medals for artistes, according to Yesudas, did not get off - he was not returned the money.
Yesudas had only a brief stint at the Akademi and successive administrations had conveniently forgotten the debt. But on Tuesday, Akademi chairman actor Mukesh and secretary C Ravunni returned the sum after Yesudas had been presented the Swati Sangeetha Puraskaram, also instituted by the Akademi, by Education Minister M A Baby.
Yesudas urged the present-day singers to come together to rectify the shortcomings in the classical music. He asked singers not to entertain pre-conceived notions about singing, though it was good that one should respect what is taught by his/her teacher.
He also contributed the cash prize of the Swathi Sangeetha Puraskaram - Rs 1 lakh - to a Rs 2 crore budget proposal for providing medical aid to the handicapped.
Education Minister M A Baby, referring to the ubiquitous music reality shows, said young singers were often being put under immense pressure by parents and well-wishers.
“I won’t say they are being led astray. But they are being put to difficulties by parents and well-wishers,” he said.