Awardees

Citation

Brought up in Hyderabad, in a family that has gifted to Indian Classical Music four generations of outstanding musicians, Pandit Jasraj started playing Tabla, but switched over to vocal music later. The tutelage of his elder brother Pandit Maniram and the spiritual influence of Maharaja Jaywant Singhji Waghela, a gifted musician of Mewati Gharana, ushered Jasraj in to the realm of celestial music. Pandit Jasraj’s relentless sadhana of this divine pursuit has made him an outstanding artist.

Endowed with a rich, soulful and sonorous voice, the Mewati maestro began his vocal and spiritual journey way back in 1952 at a public concert in the presence of the King Tribhuvan Vikram of Nepal.

Pandit Jasraj has not only created over a hundred bandishes, but has also traversed unchartered path of singing Sanskrit verses, authored by great Indian philosophers like Adi Shankaracharya in Hindustani classical style. He has also originated a unique concept – a novel jugalbandi “Jasrangi”.

In recognition of his genius, innumerable awards and titled have been bestowed upon him from all over the world. A good number have been instituted in his name. he himself has set up a number of institutions for imparting training in classical music in a number of cities in India, US and Canada.

The trustees of the Yudhvir Foundation have therefore great pleasure in conferrring on Sangeet Marthand Pandit Jasraj the Twelfth Yudhvir Memorial Award for his outstanding contribution to Indian classical music. While doing so, they wish him long life, good health and greater glories in his great mission.