Minoti Khaund: The evergreen violinist of 70's musical world of Assam, she is undoubtedly one of the most popular violinist today and can equally be placed among the best. With her disarming smile and charming manner, the bespectacled Minoti Khaund exudes a comfortable air: music, she says takes her closet to divinity and accords her peace and tranquility. It is an invigorating experience which exalts her spirits.
Born in a well to do Phukan paribar of Jorhat. Her father Manik Chandra Phukan and mother Nalini Debi. She was raised in a culturally rich atmosphere. Her maternal grandfather: Bisheswar Sharma, well-known Tea planter and a culturally gharana of Jorhat. Being a connoisseur of the fine arts himself encouraged Minoti and bought her a violin. So, she started to play at a tender age of 10.
Minoti had her early training in violin from Shri Indreswar Sarma of Jorhat, in the music school of late Darpanath Sarma. She performed in several concerts and festivals and the turning point in her life came when she was performing at the All Assam Music Conference in 1972 and violin maestro Pt. V.G.Jog heard her on stage and offered to impart his art to Minoti. Her husband Kabindra Ram Khaund and the daughter in law of Deputy Commissioner Rabindra Ram Khaund a traditional family of Assam supported her and started her apprenticeship under Pt .Jog. Thereafter started the traditional Gururshisya Parampara between Minoti and Padmavibhusahan Pt Jog.
The Rising Talent Conference at Kalamandir Calcutta in 1978 introduced Minoti as a talented artiste. There has been no looking back since then. The Amir Khan Music Conference at Rabindra Sadan Calcutta, Benaras, Burdwan, Cuttack, Bhubaneshwar, Tatanagar, Rabindra Natya Mandir mumbai, India International Center Delhi, Mehta Memorial Hall Allahabad, IIT Festival, Shankardev Kalakshetra Guwahati, National Gallery of Modern Art Mumbai, India Habitat Centre Delhi, Women's International Forum Goa, Madhusudhan Manch Kolkatta etc were the platforms that Minoti performed in and enthralled the audience and press alike. She became the foremost violinist of Assam. She was conferred the title of Sangeet Jyoti.
Minoti started her parallel studies in the field of music and attained Sangeet Nipune from Prayag Sangeet Samitti, Allahabad, in 1986, bagging a gold medal for her Sangeet Visharad. During this period she also got associated with vocalist Pt. A.T, Kanan of the Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkatta and imbibed the "gayaki ang" in her style. She also underwent music studies in the field of raga improvisations and rhythmic patterns of "tala" from sarod maestro and musicologist Pt. Buddhadev Dasgupta.
Sunita Bhuyan is a violinist of the Hindustani style and has carved a niche for herself as an upcoming musician of India. Recepient of the Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini award for Music. She was initiated into musicat a tender age by her mother Minoti Khaund. The mother daughter duo of Minoti and Sunita have performed duets all over the country and abroad, regaling the audience and the press alike with their "jugalbandi". What makes her great is: selection of her tune, her style of presentation and she stried to give a semi-classical touch which has a blend of folk western classical.
Sunita has attained a master's degree in Hindustani Music from Prayag Sangeet Samitte, with a distinction and has also studied advanced music under the apprenticeship of violin maestro Padmabibhushan Late Pt V.G. Jog.
Minoti Khaund, the award winning violin master whose musical career spanning 50 years. She has been awarded the prestigious Silpi Bata this year by Govt. of Assam.
A violin recital by Minoti Khaund and her daughter Sunita Bhuyan are on an exclusive UK tour at the prestigious Nehru Centre (the Cultural wing of Indian High Commission) on 26th June and other British cities: Manchester: Kalapremi mandal, Birmingham and Nottingham organized by Rini Kakati, NRI Co-ordinator for UK.
Also the Glasgow concert is organized by Mrs. Anima Sharma, an active member of Lancashire Hindu Association.
My father often narrated to me that the first Council office and the entire budget of Mizo District Council, at the outset, was run with funds borrowed from Mr. Pasung (or Pachhunga), known to be the richest man in the area in those days. Mr. Pasung was a Hmar.
Lusei speaking group in Mizo District, later declared Union Territory and now a State, with arriere pensee, gradually iconised Lusei dialect as Mizo, deftly utilizing the council machinery as tool for Lusei propagation – and, today, Lusei is synonymous to Mizo. As you dawdle along the streets and bazaar in Aizawl, you would often stumble upon an ordinary Hmar young generation who is ready to pounce on you the moment you...
Assamese community in the NE USA, is going to celebrate the forthcoming Rongali (Bohag) Bihu 2011 on April 16. For details please email: neassam@gmail.com or visit the website http://www.neassam.org/current-events.html
As in the past, this is a potluck event with expenses being reimbursed to those who bring food item(s). A list of food (and non-food) items is at the end of this message. Please review the list and kindly volunteer for food or non-food items to make this event a success. Thank you!
Event Coordinators
Food:
Bharati Deka - bdeka1199@hotmail.com;
Maini Chetia - maini_chetia@yahoo.com; (609)712-7159
Meghali Chetia - meghalichetia@yahoo.com;
Susan (Dula) Das...
Assam Association, Mumbai (AAM) is going to organise Rongali Bihu Utsav 2011 at two venues. The details are as follows:
1) Date: Saturday 16April 2011, Timing 6-10pm
Venue: Ganapati Maidan,Behind Gakuldham Shopping Market, Opp Dindoshi Bus Depot, Goregaon (E),
Contribution: Rs 500 (per family) or Rs 150 (individual)
NB: Limited dinner packet will be available at venue.
Organising Sub-Committee:
Goregaon: Subir Kakoti, Kangkan Kr Das (9969229215), Gaurav Das (9969223600),
K C Deka (9969229215), Deepak Das (9969223251), Apurba Das (9969227171),
Mubidur Rahman (9969224403), S Ahmed (9969220377),
Dwipen Saha (9969223782), Swapan Pal (9969220782),...
With a view to create mass awareness on Legal Aid provided for the common people by Gram Vikas Parishad in association with Lioness Club of Nagaon Greater organized a awareness camp on March 26 at its Head Office situated at Rangaloo. Deepa Saikia senior advocate and Project Chairman of Legal aid Cell, Advocate Shehnaj Sultana Ahmed, Advocate Rupali Goswmi Ahmed 1st and 2nd vice President respectively of Lioness Club, Nagaon Greater and secretary Kusum Devi were present in the open session. Reknowned and senior social worker Aliza Ahmed was also one of the invited chief guests present in this occasion. Sirajuddin Ahmed General secretary of Gram Vikas Parishad highlighted the objectives...
ULFA has called off statewide Assam bandh on Monday. The insurgent outfit announced it a day after it called the bandh to protest the proposed visit of prime minister Manmohan Singh on Monday. The prime minister rescheduled the visit before Ulfa called off the 12 hour bandh.
In synchronization with the World Consumer Rights Day, Jan Shikshan Sansthan Nagaon and Gram Vikas Parishad, Rangaloo jointly organized a day long programme at Rangaloo with a view to generate awareness among the consumers about their rights and their protection. The meeting was presided by Abdul Mannaf, President of GVP where more then 200 people were present. Mamtaz Khanom, Director i/c of Jan Shikhsan Santhan spoke about the objectives of the meeting.
Distinguished guest Renuka Ranjan Kakoti, former senior member of Dist consumer forum delivered his speech over Consumer Rights...
Panos Institute South Asia’s RELAY programme invites print/web and television journalists to apply for the ‘Reporting research media fellowship programme’ on dams and development in Northeast India.
Three print/web and one (1) television fellowship will be awarded to candidates who regularly contribute to media in Northeast India and are willing to write/ produce media outputs based on collaboration with research or researchers and primary field trips in the Northeast.
The Fellowship will run from May 2011 to September 2011. Each fellow will be provided with editorial support by an advisory panel comprising of senior journalists and editors and ‘paired...
The denigration of the parliamentary democracy by almost all the political parties is a matter of grave concern for all of us. The criminals and corrupt people have thronged the political parties; and money and muscle power have been reigning everywhere. Integrity is being replaced with corruptibility. The looting of the public exchequer has become the sole objective of joining a political party. Politics turns worse and ugly at the time of elections. The unscrupulous politicians make the best use of the gullibility of the vast majority of the rural and semi-urban voters and indifference of the educated, urban- middle- class citizens.
To make the people aware of their political rights...
In a bid to sensitise students on various career opportunities .North East Youth Foundation (NEYF) had organised a Career Counselling Programme at St Xavier’s School in Diyungbra in the Dima Hasao District on 19th March. The career counselling programme was first of its kind as for the first time this kind of programme was organised in the school campuses which was founded in 2001. Programme was inaugurated by Fr Arul Soosai, Principal of the school and facilitated and moderated by Ranjan K Baruah of NEYF. Various career opportunities were discussed by the resource person apart from providing information to students about their dream profession. Al together 60 students participated...
A devastating fire broke out at Khangar Gao near Budhamandir road, Lumding on March 21 at around 12:30 noon. It had completely destroyed 26 shops and 4 houses. It took about 4 hours for local people and police to control the fire.
Sukanta Dey
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