Pandit Bhimsen Joshi Jayanti

Context

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has remembered Pandit Bhimsen Joshi on his 100th birth anniversary.

About Pandit Bhimsen Joshi 

• Pandit Bhimsen Joshi Born in 1922 at Ron, Gadag district, Karnataka, Bhimsen Joshi was the eldest among 16 children born to Gururaj Joshi and Godavaribai.  
• Bhimsen Gururaj Joshi (1922 – 2011), also known by the honorific prefix Pandit, was one of the greatest Indian vocalists from Karnataka, in the Hindustani classical tradition.
• He is known for the khayal form of singing, as well as for his popular renditions of devotional music (bhajans and abhangs).
• Joshi belongs to the Kirana gharana tradition of Hindustani Classical Music.
• He also used to sing popular renditions of devotional music.
• He is remembered for his famous ragas including Shuddha Kalyan, Miyan Ki Todi, Puriya Dhanashri and Multani etc. 
• In the years 1964 to 1982 he visited Afghanistan, France, Italy, USA and Canada for concerts.
• His concerts were advertised by posters in New York. This happened for the first time for a musician from India.
• He also organised the Sawai Gandharva Music Festival annually. This was organised as homage to his guru, Pandit Sawai Gandharva.
• He found his guru Pandit Sawai Gandharva at Kundagol, Dharwad district.
• When All India Radio opened a station in Dharwad in 1950, the inaugural song Vande Mataram was sung by Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Gangubai Hangal, Mallikarjun Mansur and Basavaraj Rajguru.

Awards

• He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship in the year 1998. 
• It is the highest honour which is conferred by the Sangeet Natak Akademi. 
• In the year 2009 he received India's highest civilian honour, Bharat Ratna.