MUMBAI: Jagjit Singh, Vishal Bhardwaj, Kailash Kher and Mohit Chauhan, among others, will be present at the video launch of popular sufi singer Satinder Sartaj’s new Sufi video, Sai, from the album Mehfil-e-Sartaaj in Mumbai on Wednesday. The launch, planned over high tea, has been planned as a celebration of soft and soothing Sufi music of Sartaaj.
About Satinder Sartaaj
Satinder Sartaaj is a popular Sufi musician and singer who sings in his own style and tries to evoke Punjabi culture in his writing.
Born at village Bajrawar, distt. Hoshiarpur (east Punjab) and living in the sleepy village as a child, Satinder was hooked to the flute and sarangi melodies of wandering folk artists. He started performing at bal-sabhas when he was in Class 3.
Sartaaj is already a name to reckon with in his field. The young Punjabi recalls the occasion when prolonged applause from music lovers from 32 countries greeted him at Dubai International Cultural Festival when he was crowned Best Sufi Singer.
Sartaaj has featured in a documentary on the life of Sayyad Waris Shah. He was awarded a scholarship in Sufi Music from the Dept. of Culture, Govt.of India. He was first runner-up in the 24th All-India Light Vocal competition. He won the title of Punjab Heritage Foundation, Patiala, and also won the Shah Husain and the Salamat Ali-Nazaqat Ali awards.
He graduated from Govt. College Hoshiarpur with Music Honours along with Sangeet Visharad – a five-year diploma in classical music. After graduation and the Sangeet Visharad, Satinder went to Panjab University Campus at Chandigarh for a Masters in Music and completed his M.Phil. and Ph.D. with Specialisation in Sufi Music. To understand the deep thoughts of Sufi poetry, Satinder learnt Persian (Farsi). During this time he started writing poetry and adopted a poetic name (takhallus) of Sartaaj. Now, Dr. Satinder Sartaaj has been teaching at the Deptt. of Music for the last six years.
He has performed at numerous live concerts in India, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.