Puttaraj Samman for Vishwa Mohan Bhatt

Creator of the Mohan Veena and winner of the Grammy Award, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt has been selected for the Puttaraj Samman for the year 2012.

The Samman, instituted by Pandit Puttaraj Gawai Pratisthan, carries a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh and a citation. The award will be presented on March 1, on the occasion of the 99th birth anniversary of late Pandit Puttaraj Gawai, local patron of arts, Bhojanna Bilagi announced here on Friday.

Bhatt, who hails from Jaipur, plays Hindustani classical music on the Indian slide guitar (Mohan Veena). He won a Grammy award in 1994 for his album, “A meeting by the river” with Ry Cooder and other fusion and pan-cultural collaborations with western artistes like Bela Fleck and Jerry Douglas.

The award will be presented at a function organised by Puttaraj Gawai Pratisthan, Department of Kannada and Culture and Bijapur-based Sursingar Kala Vedike at the Kandgal Hanumantharaya Rangamadira at 6 pm.

The award presentation will be followed by a Mohan veena recital by Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt.