Music maestro honoured

Manama : The 55-year-long musical journey of Dr KJ Yesudas, a leading Indian playback singer, was celebrated during a grand event titled Musical Rain Season 3 on Friday. The programme was organised by Bigface Events.

Thousands of music lovers thronged to the Indian School ground in Isa Town to listen to the legendary singer. The 76-year-old has recorded more than 40,000 songs in a number of Indian and foreign languages.

“On November 14, 1961, I recorded my voice for a film for the first time. It was a verse written by Sri Narayana Guru, the sage of the backward classes of Kerala: ‘Jaathi Betham Mathadwesham.’ The lyrics of the simple song conveyed a great meaning. It read: ‘This is a model place where all the people live like brothers and sisters unaffected by the difference of caste and the enmities of religion,’” the singer said.

Meanwhile, Dr Yesudas conferred the Gulf Business Icon Award on Al Namal-VKL Group Chairman Dr Varghese Kurian, whose businesses include real estate, property development and management, construction, health and hospitality divisions. 

He was also honoured with the traditional Indian ceremonial shawl by Shaikh Daij bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, who was deputised by HRH Crown Prince’s Court President Shaikh Khalifa bin Daij Al Khalifa to attend the event as a guest of honour.

Congratulating Dr Kurian on receiving the award, he said it is a reflection of his growing success achieved through hard work.

Shaikh Daij reminisced his visit to the Indian State of Kerala last September, when his father Shaikh Khalifa received the first ever Bahrain-Kerala Friendship Award from State Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He referred to Bahrain as a nation of peace, unity and tolerance, which has strong and cordial relations with the Indian community. 

Dr Yesudas handed over a memento to Shaikh Daij, while Dr Kurian honoured Shaikh Daij by draping a ceremonial shawl on him.

The star-studded event was directed by singer and television host Nadhirsha. Indian actor Dileep, Dr Yesudas’ son and singer Vijay Yesudas, playback singer Sujatha Mohan and her daughter Shweta Mohan, who is also a singer, led the musical programme. SPAC Group Chairman P. Unnikrishnan and DT News Chief Editor Soman Baby attended the event.