Music award to promote young talent

KOLKATA: On Thursday evening, Kolkatans will witness a battle royale of classical music, between two young vocalists Rageshri Das of Durgapur and Kolkata's Alik Sengupta at the grand finale of the Golden Talent Contest organised by the Pt. Ravi Kichlu Foundation at the GD Birla Sabhaghar. Winner of the junior category, Shubho Ghosh, will also give a recital.
The contestants will be judged by Smt Girija Devi, Pt. Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Jaya Biswas, Haimanti Shukla and Gobindo Bose. Out of nearly 700 candidates, the contest has now narrowed down to the two. The contest is being held in association with Tara Muzik and Times of India.
"Pt. Ravi Kichlu was a great artist, composer and it feels like being with my family to be a part of this event which promotes young classical performers," said Pt. Hari Prasad Chaurasia. He will give a special recital after the contest and will be given the Dr R S Agarwal award for his contribution to Indian Classical Music.
The foundation was set up in 1994 after the demise of Pt. Ravi Kichlu. The contest is being held for over a decade. Earlier, eminent artistes like late Ustad Aminuddin Dagar, late Ustad Vilayat Khan, late Pt. VG Jog, Pt. Birju Maharaj, Ustad Rashid Khan, Pt. Ajoy Chakraborty, Pt. Bhajan Sopori, Buddhadeb Dasgupta, Saswati Sen, Kalyani Roy, Purna Das Baul and Amar Pal have judged contestants.
The foundation also runs a primary school for under-privileged children and supports retired musicians in need of treatment.
"Winners get scholarships, cash and gifts from sponsors," said Veena Kichlu, managing trustee of the foundation. Girija Devi and Pt. Chaurasia will also release a collection of gazals and kajri, sung by the late maestro's son Vibhas Kichlu. The album Khwahish is his first solo album.