Skip to content Skip to navigation

Lord Dholakia felicitate Minoti Sunita at the Nehru Centre, London

On June 26th, 2008, Nehru Centre, the cultural Wing of the High Commission of India in London presented a stunning confluence of semi-classical of violin recital “jugalbandi” with Minoti Khaund, the award winning violin maestro whose musical career spanning 50 years and her daughter Sunita Bhuyan, the recipient of the Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini award for music and has been giving performances both solos and duets with her mother on the world stage.

Sunita is one of the few musicians who balances a full time HR career along with her inherited passion for music. She is the Head of Learning and Development at Syntel, a global ITES company which entails her to train managers on leadership and all round development.

The function was inaugurated by Monika Kopil Mohta, Director and Minister of Culture. She spoke highly about the art and culture of North-East and welcome the invited guest artists of Assam: Minoti Khaund & Sunita Bhuyan.

Sunita Bhuyan in her speech conveyed her gratitude to the Director for giving them the opportunity to perform at this prestigious venue. She also thanked Rini Kakati, a prominent lady of the Assamese community who is instrumental to make this possible.

Both mother & daughter held the audience in complete thrall with their performance of jugalbandi in what was a fitting finale to the long list of cultural activities at the Nehru Centre. Virtues of simplicity and grace that made both Minoti & Sunita the most enchanting artist of the musical world of Assam, showed up in ample evidence during the performance by the yesteryear Assamese sensation.

The evening was started by raag Hanswadhani in Rupak and Teental. The Teental composition was an old and popular Khyal “Laagi Lagana”. This item resulted in the jhala crescendo which left audience spellbound. The next item was a scintillating light classical piece called Bharat Darshan. This had various folk tunes from different parts of India with a special piece of Assamese Bihu.

The grand finale was rendition of Vande Matarm: a superb vocal presentation of the powerful lyrics by Sunita. The audience were moved and became emotional. The duo were accompanied by well-known tablist from Bangladesh: Yusuf Ali Khan. The Asian & European audiences were overwhelmed by the performance and expressed that they had enjoyed the evening as a memorable one.

The invited guest of honour was Lord Dholakia & Lady Ann, Madhava Chandra, the minister representing the Indian High Commission, Jahnu Barua, the well-known film producer & director of Assam. In a traditional Assamese way, the dignitaries were felicitated with phulam gamosa.

In his closing speech Lord Dholakia mentioned about the richness of the north-east especially Assam and the importance of showcasing unity in cultural diversity. He mentioned his fruitful visit to Assam in the year 2005. As a state guest he was invited by Tarun Gogoi, Hounr’ ble Chief Minister of Assam to inaugurate the North-East NRI Convention at Guwahati organised by NECCI (North East Chamber of Commerce & Industry). He praised Minoti & Sunita specially the mother for her tremendous effort to train Sunita not only in violin but also a vocalist. Their next performance surely will be at the House of Lords. Lord Dholakia promised.

The jugalbandi performance was given a standing ovation by the huge audience when they played at the Hindu Cultural Centre, London on 14th June, 2008

The Milapfest of Manchester and Nottingham Arts Council slot were on hold due to Sunita’s busy schedule and other commitment. They have invited both artists to perform at the festival in the year 2009.

Minoti Khaund is an inspiration and her flawless performance is a silent but forceful message for all our upcoming violinist to follow.

- Rini Kakati

Comments

TLANG ROKHUMA's picture

Dearest Sunita. I am proud you. You are my Great Indian Musician idol. I also remember Film Festival in Mumbai in 2007, you are the guest there. I hope one day your show will be in Mizoram. Bye, Mr.Rokhuma, Artist Aizawl, Mizoram
diana mavroleon's picture

Hello Sunita, Yes, this definitely conjures up the enthralled audience of the Nehru Centre that night of your concert; great that the pieces are listed also. The centre has become my 'University of lndia' and l am spreading the word amongst artists here in London, none of whom seem to know anything about it! l feel so lucky to have found it. Best wishes to your Mother and to yourself and good luck with all the projects, Diana x ******
Aradhana Kataki's picture

Dear Rumki (Sunita), The world has discovered the treasure we have. We feel so proud. Thank you and Minti baideu. Bonumahi
Gaurav Kataki's picture

Dear Rumkiba(Sunita, We all are extremely proud of you and Minti jethai. Love and regards Gaurav(maina),Dibrugarh
jul's picture

hi ba, how ru? i know, you stay here in powai, mumbai. longing to see you. wonder, if you would recognize me. m, pankaja (jul), sister of konkana(konki). we studied in LFS, dibrugarh. know you since than. i met your mom in my weddding last year (nov 23rd 2008, guwahati). infact, my husband abhineet(sanju) know your family very well. we both received the blessings from your grand mom, too. we stay in poonam nagar, mumbai. really look forward to meet you. lots of love. jul

Pages

Add new comment

Random Stories

Apollo gynecologist attends press club OPD

7 May 2017 - 11:19pm | Nava Thakuria
Senior gynecologist from Apollo Chennai Hospital Dr A. Vinutha on Saturday (6 May 2017) attended the evening OPD clinic at Guwahati Press Club and offered free healthcare consultations to around 20...

Bengali federation burn effigy

4 Mar 2016 - 5:11pm | Hantigiri Narzary
Students activists from All BTC Bengali Youth Students Federation show their protest and burnt effigy of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in protest against his recent derogatory remakrs on Hindu Bengali...

BJP workers in Namrup unhappy with Naharkatiya MLA

27 Nov 2017 - 8:15am | AT News
NAMRUP: A group of BJP leaders and workers openly expressed displeasure with AGP MLA Naren Sonowal, who allegedly has not been listening to them. At a booth level meeting in Namrup, the party's...

Puja festivity grips Golaghat

18 Oct 2015 - 9:56pm | Siddhartha Handique
Sounds of dhakis seem to have gripped the people of Golaghat as the entire district is preparing for the Durga puja from Wednesday. The idols of the goddess Durga are getting finishing touch before...

Other Contents by Author

Bijni : A bomb exploded near Lasaiygaon Hosipital in a High Voltage Electricity Tower. Altogether 4 bombs were discovered and only one exploded. The rest of the three bombs were discovered alive. No casualties have been reported and power supply is also on. No one has claimed responsibility for the blast but police suspect the hand of ULFA in the blast. ULFA observes Martyr day on 27th July and hence every year it is observed that the subversive activities go up on or before this day
Sonapur : One person has been killed and many injured when one bus and one truck collided at 8 pm on Tuesday at Sonapur near Guwahati in NH 37.The person who has been killed has been identified as Dhal Chetri, Age 35 years. Many of the injured are in critical conditions and have been admitted to the Gauhati Medical College Hospital.The critically injured people are Arun Vaidya of Sapekhati, Prakash Choudhury ( location unknown) . Sajad Ahmed of Bokakhat, Pranjit Dutta of Birubari in Guwahati, Daulat Singh and Mrs Pabitri Singh of Nepal.
Dhemaji : The flood situation in Dhemaji district is improving and communication via road and train has also started.Road transport via Gogamukh to Dhemaji has been established after Army built a temporary bridge in Tengakhuwa.The Rangia Murkakselak rail route to Arunachal is operational again. This meter gauge railway line is the only connection to Arunachal Pradesh and is a major supply source to the State. This route was also badly damaged because of the flash floods caused by Kumotiya (Jiyadhal) on 12th of July 07. NF railway had worked overtime to repair it from the next day itself.
Shillong: Julius Dorphang, the chairman of the dreaded Hymmetrip National Liberation Council (HNLC), a Khasi militant organisation based out of Meghalaya surrendered alongwith four others before the Meghalaya Chief Minister, DD Lapang. The HNLC is a banned organisation. The HNLC was formed in 1992 and is the oldest militant organisation of Meghalaya.
Guwahati : AASU had called for a Rail Abarodh on Tuesday between 11 am to 3 pm. Trains services were disrupted in Guwahati, Lumding, Lakua, Sarupathar, Kokrajhar and various other places in Assam.CPRO, NF railway has communicated that a goods train was blocked in Guwahati and this delayed many outgoing trains. The Brahmaputra Mail, NE express and Amritsar Express were amongst those mails which were effected.In Sarupathar, AASU activists were lathicharged as they tried to stop the Lumding- Tinsukia inter-city.
Tezpur: The army has decided to step up action against ULFA.This was decided in a Senior Commanders meeting held at the Headquarters of IV core in Tezpur on Monday. The meeting was presided by GOC Lt General R K Chabra and was attended by the GOCs IN C's of all divisions under IV core. PRO, Colonel Narender Singh said that the decison to mount pressure on ULFA was taken to prevent the threat that ULFA creates ahead of its martyr day on 27th July and the Independence Day of India on 15th of August. It has been observed that ULFA increases its subversive activities on or before this period every year.It has also been decided to keep strict vigilance on the Assam-Meghalaya border and the...
Guwahati : Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi will leave for New Delhi today for three days to attend the swearing in ceremony of Pratibha Patil, the 12th President of India. He would be returning to Assam on 26th of July 07.
Guwahati: A young couple Raj Kumar Choudhury and Priti Choudhury commited suicide in Ganeshguri Chariali at Sinha Lodge on Sunday night as they were unable to stay together as Priti was married to another person. The couple committed suicide together and left behind a note donating their dead body to the Guwahati Municipality Corporation Hospital Raj Kumar Choudhurys father is a Mouzadar in Ghagrapar in Nalbari and he himself was an active Congress worker. Priti Choudhurt and he had known each other for a long time but she was married to another person and hence due to peer and family pressures they could not come together. Priti had come to Guwahati on 14th April 2007 for Athmangala and...
Gurgaon : The “Millennium City” that’s the word that has been coined for Gurgaon. The Millennium city with its huge Assamese population formally got its own Assam Association with the completion of the registration formalities on 13th of July 2007.The association has been registered under the Societies Act 1860 of India. Assam Association of Gurgaon was formed on 11th of Feb 2007 by a group of people from Assam and well-wishers of Assam, currently residing or having his place of business in the Millennium city of Gurgaon. The association is a socio-cultural non-profit society. The main objectives of the association are to achieve harmony, bonhomie, camaraderie of the...
Golaghat : One ANLA activist was killed while three others managed to escape in a fierce fighting between the ANLA activists and a joint team of CRPF and Golaghat Police at Naojan Pachim Beelpar bordering Dhansiri Sarupathar subdivision.Golagaht police received a tip off on the ANLA activists in the area and they laid an ambush for the activists alongwith the CFPF team. The ANLA activists were armed heavily and hence heavy fighting broke out. There were no reports of casualities or injuries from the police side.