Honoring Talent

Virtuous Retail (VR) Surat paid a tribute to prominent Surati citizens who have contributed to the music industry in Surat on World Music Day. The Director of VR Mr. Paresh Mishra presented them with a special memento for being cultural ambassadors for the city.
Speaking about the occasion, Mr. Anupam Yog, Marketing Director VR Surat said, “Our country is rich in the heritage of music.Some of the finest singers and musicians recognized globally are Indians. We at VR Surat believe it is important to celebrate music and what better day could we have chosen! We are thrilled to honor these talented Suratis who, as a result of their tireless work, have contributed tremendously to the music industry in the city.”
The first of the honorees was Shri Hemant Gandharva, a classical singer and harmonium player. Even though Mr. Gandharva now works full-time at Essar, his passion for music drives him to work with students pursuing a PhD in Music, mentoring and guiding them in their pursuit. He also heads Swaram, a cultural institute in Surat that puts up dance, singing and music programs in the city. The next person to be felicitated was Mr. Aman Lekhadiya who is a graduate in Law and also holds a Sangeet Visharard in Music. Mr. Lekhadiya started his singing career in 1988. Over the years, he has lent his musical talent and voice to numerous Gujarati songs and albums. He is the maestro who composed the music and provided the vocals for the song ‘Chalo Ari Pachha’, which became the anthem for Surat while the city was recovering from the devastating floods in 2004. He is also the vocalist in the popular Gujarati urban film ‘Kevi Rite Jaish’. The third and final honorees was Dr. Sunita Sethi, a classical singer who also holds a doctorate in Music. She started her career in the arts as a dancer and currently heads the ‘Heritage School of Indian Classical Music’, which has been training students for the past 12 years.