Bale Khan award for Canada-based sitar player Irshad Khan

Eminent sitar player of Itawa Gharana Irshad Khan has been selected for the maiden ‘Infosys Sitar Nawaz Bale Khan’ award, stated Sitar Ratna Committee President Raghavendra Ayi.

Informing this to mediapersons here on Monday, he stated that the committee has decided to recognise artistes who are contributing to the field of music and are conferring award on them.

The award is being given for the first time. The committee has decided to honour Irshad Khan who is a resident of Canada and an eminent sitar player to bag this award which carries a purse of Rs one lakh, a citation and a certificate.

Music festival
He further stated that a three-day annual Hindustani classical music festival would begin at the Srijana Auditorium in Dharwad on December 4.

The event has been organised to mark the 61st death anniversary of legendary Sitar maestro Ustad Rahimat Khan.

It would provide a unique opportunity for the music lovers to enjoy vocal and instrumental music by both, renowned and upcoming artistes. The programme would be open for all and the concerts would begin at 5:45 pm on all days, the committee president said.

Vocal, instrumental
The event would begin with a vocal concert by Pallavi Joshi from Mumbai on December 4. It would be followed by a violin concert by Santosh Nahar from New Delhi and he would be accompanied by Uday Kulkarni on tabla.