Skip to content Skip to navigation

Minoti Khaund and Sunita Bhuyan Violin recital Tour UK 2008

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.

-- Rini Kakati

Comments

charlie, kharghuli's picture

After bhupen hazarika we really feel proud to introduce as assamese women vionalist going to perform aboard .
sunita , rumki's picture

On behalf of my mother: thank you charlie I know all of you are my well wishers always Minoti khuri

Pages

Add new comment

Other Contents by Author

The veteran sports journalist of Assam and the founder president of Guwahati Press Club (GPC), Pulin Das will attend the Guest of the Month programme of GPC on December 30. The programme will begin at 1 pm in the GPC auditorium.Prior to it, the nonagenarian personality will be felicitated by the press club. Mr Das has maintained his health and plays lawn tennis regularly. Nava Thakuria, Secy, GPC
Assam Association, Delhi has celebrated Eid Milan on 23rd December at Srimanta Sankaradeva Bhawan. Eid has been celebrated by the Association since its inception on regular basis. The function was started with the welcome address by the president Gr Cpt (retd) A C Barua. Holy Koran was recited by a young member of the Association. Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed, who served as Medical Counsel of Indian Embassy in Holy city of Mecca for many years shared his experience as a ‘Haji’ and as an spectator of this annual ritual, where millions from all over the world congregate to visit the holiest of holy places of Islam. Mr. Tassaduque Hussain, a ‘haji’ himself spoke about the...
Finally Assam gets to flaunt its very own Open University. The very first open university of the state – Krishna Kanta Handique Open University (KKHOU) which was set up last year opened its doors for students recently as it started its academic activities with a Bachelor’s Preparatory Programme (BPP).KKHOU is an answer to the prayers of those student’s who have been unable to continue with their studies owing to various reasons. Though Assam has been flooded by other Universities providing rather claiming to provide distance learning courses but these universities are of questionable repute as they are plagued by recognition issues. Moreover, the exams are not held...
The people of Nagaland have witnessed the humble beginning of the Hornbill Festival in 2001 in Kohima Local ground, the venue of which has been changed to Kisama now. The festival has been named after the Hornbill a bird (Dhanesh Chiriya) which is abundantly referred to in Naga customs and traditions. But this bird which signifies the Naga identity is almost extinct due to mindless killing and lack of thick forest -- their breeding place. The Naga cultural troupes today use paper feathers and wooden Hornbill in cultural festivals since there is no living Hornbill easily traceable in Nagaland. If a Hornbill sanctuary is developed in the outskirts of Kisama along with all other colorful...
Oil India Limited dethroned defending champion Assam State Electricity Board in the Assam Club Championship at Bokakhat on 23rd DEC with a 4-1 victory in a rematch of last year's final. Looking to avenge the defeat at the hands of the ASEB in the previous final, the OIL team played smart football and dominated the game throughout.The OIL think tank chose the 1-4-5-1 formation to the ASEB's 1-4-4-2 pattern and it proved to be a winning strategy. OIL took the lead with captain Birjab Mushahary's winger off a corner as early as in the sixth minute. Durga Boro scored the second goal three minutes later. After missing several scoring opportunities, ASEB bounced back in the 39th...
Santipur police, in Karbi Anglong, recovered the bodies of two youth — one Prasanta Nath of Naharjan Nathgaon, Bokakhat and another unidentified — from the Upper Rangsali Hansegaon. Police also recovered one AK-47 rifle cartridge and 15 rifle cartridges from the spot. KOUSHIK HAZARIKA
The All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU) has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the Election Commission of India (ECI) which allowed the inclusion of Chakma and Hajong refugees' names in the electoral roll.After a tour by AAPSU delegation in the Chakma-Hajong inhabited Assembly constituencies at Doimukh, Chowkham, Bordumsa-Diyum and Miaoto area they have found out this crucial information. The PIL was filed with the Itanagar bench of Gauhati High Court. In a statement issued by the organisation they alleged that a few leaders in those area were playing with the fundamental rights of the indigenous population.
The movement for Gorkhaland is gaining momentum not only in the hills but also among the Indian Nepali masses from all over the residing in Delhi who protested against the sixth schedule and for a separate state for the gorkhas comprising Darjeeling and dooars.The newly formed Gorkha Janmukti morcha (GJMM) with its firebrand leader, president of GJMM - Mr Bimal Gurung is spearheading the gorkhaland cause. According to senior leader, general secretary of GJMM Mr Roshan Giri creation of state is the only solution and not sixth schedule and it would fulfill the long standing demand of not only Darjilingites but also the rest of Indian gorkhas. The hills opposition parties, GJMM, ABGL, CPRM,...
An MP from Bihar has reached the Supreme Court seeking probe into the alleged link of Assam’s health minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma with ULFA.In a PIL, the minister named Sukhdeo Paswan further alleges Dr Sarma’s involvement in the ULFA’s attack on the Biharis.He alleged that several criminal cases with a TADA case was pending against him which is why is using his political influence get ride of the laws.Another serious charge against Mr Sarma, according to Mr Paswan, is an extortion case of over Rs 90 lakh on behalf of ULFA. He said this is why he was allegedly booked under the TADA on January 12, 1991 at the Pan Bazar Police Station.Filed by counsel C D Singh on behalf...
Muslim people celebrated Eid-ul-zuha across the north eastern region on Friday with much religious favour and solemnity. Reports of huge congregations for community namaj are pouring in from different parts of the region. This follows the officering of sacrifice of animals. Known as the feast of the sacrifice in Islam, Eid Ul Zuha is celebrated on the tenth day of Zul-Hijja, which is the last month of the lunar Islamic calendar, and also marks the end of the annual Haj pilgrimage. The festival of sacrifice, also known as the Greater Eid, is the second most important festival in the Muslim calendar after Eid-ul-Fitr, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramzan. Muslims in large...