Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan Centre for Culture the reputed Cultural organisation of the country popularly known as UMAK Centre for Culture will be holding the event 'Abhinandan 84' on the occasion of the 84th birthday of internationally renowned sitar maestro Pandit Debu Chaudhuri, Padmabhushan Awardee. The event will be held at 6:00 pm on June 1, 2019, in Meghdoot Auditorium no. III, Sangeet Natak Akademy.
Pandit Devabrata Chaudhuri is one of the senior most 'Living Legends' of instrumental music of the country. He is a recipient of the prestigious Government award of Padmabhushan and National Sangeet Natak Akademy Award for his special contribution in the field of music. He received his early training from the late Panchu Gopal Datta and later for 38 years from the senior most traditional exponent of Sitar Maestro Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan of 'Senia Gharana'.
Pand Debu Chaudhuri, in addition to being a top-class artist of India, is also a top-class academician, which is a rare combination found in any artist. He was the former Dean and Head, and Senior Professor, Faculty of Music and Fine Arts, University of Delhi. He is the Founder Chairman of 'Delhi University Culture Council', Former Executive Committee member of various colleges of Delhi, Secretary, UMAK Centre for Culture, Member of the Advisory Board of the Music Audition Board of AIR, Expert Committee member of the UGC, Ministry of Culture and many other places and also the 'Visitors' nominee at Central Universities.
Pandit Chaudhuri is the Creator of eight new ragas namely Bisweswari, Palas-Sarang, Anuranjani, Ashiqui Lalit, Swanandeswari, Kalyani Bilawal, Shiva Manjari and Prabhati Manjari (his late wife Manju).
'Abhinandan 84' will especially showcase and give a befitting example of how the oral tradition of our Indian Classical Music is being passed over to the next generation, who are ready to carry on the mantle of Indian Classical Music further. This will be shown through the musical presentations and concerts by Panditji's students, disciples, and artists of India honoring the great legend with their performances. It will feature a Kathak Dance Recital by Rayana Chaudhuri, 'Sitar Recital' by Little Adhiraj Chaudhuri. This will be followed by a Sitar and Hawaiian Guitar Jugalbandi Concert by Professor Ravi Sharma (Sitar) and Neel Ranjan Mukherjee (Hawaiian Guitar). Later, a Trigulbandi Concert of 2 Sitars and a Flute by Uma Shankar P D Singh (Sitar), among others will enthrall the audience. The highlight of the event and the grand finale will be the eminent Sitar Recital by the Eminent Sitar Maestro of India Pandit Prateek Chaudhuri.