NEW DELHI: Pandit Bhajan Sopori, the music legend from Jammu and Kashmir, and his son and young music maestro, Abhay Rustum Sopori, have been selected for the ‘Asian Admirable Achievers (AAA), 2013’, the Volume VII of the prestigious biographical note.
The AAA is an honour bestowed on selective eminent personalities from the Asian region for their remarkable and unforgettable accomplishments in life and contribution in the Asian region. The AAA recognizes outstanding achievers who have scaled the heights against odds to achieve excellence, people who have made a mark in original line of thinking by any standard, people who have played a cogent role in stimulating and sustaining the high name of their respective fields of excellence.
Pt. Sopori thanked the AAA selection board for the honour. Abhay told radioandmusic.com that it is an additional honour for him to be bestowed with the title along with his father.
Pt. Sopori, regarded as the cultural bridge of J & K and the rest of the country, is hailed as the ‘Saint of the Santoor’ and the ‘King of Strings’. He has led the revival of Sufism to spread the message of humanity amongst the masses.
Having composed over 5000 songs, his compositions and recitals bear the distinctive stamp of his virtuosity and erudition. He has used his Santoor and his compositions to highlight the concept of oneness and foster unity enshrining the idea of national integration, humanism and peace amongst the common man and the youth in particular.
Abhay Rustum Sopori is recognized for his enormous contribution in the revival of culture in the country, especially Jammu and Kashmir and has been given credit for creating a cultural revolution bringing the youth together through music and creating a new generation of music connoisseurs, altogether bringing more recognition to the art and culture of the country. The acclaimed young face of J & K culture, Abhay is one of the most prominent musicians of the present generation.