The first Rajasthan Ratna award by the state government was conferred on seven eminent people from different fields here on Monday. However, many others who had a remarkable contribution in the fields of art, culture and literature were neglected. This included many like Ustad Sultan Khan who was conferred Padma Shri but was not even invited to the ceremony.
After the seven persons including Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, late Allah Jilai Bai, late Jagjit Singh, late Komal Kothari, late Kanhaiya Lal Sethia, Laxmi Kumari Chudawat and Vijay Dan Detha were conferred with Rajasthan Ratna award on Saturday, many artistes and their families felt ‘cheated’ with the state government’s gesture.
In 2011 the famous poet and translator Dr Chandra Prakash Deval and film actor Irrfan Khan were awarded Padma Shri. However, these two were omitted in the list of the first recipients of Rajasthan Ratna awards.
The list is endless. The state government did not even think of even inviting people like Sabri brothers, the famous qawaals of ‘Der Na Ho Jaye’ and the ghazal singer Ahamed Hussain and Mohammed Hussain, kin of vocalist Ustad Sultan Khan, Ustad Faimuddhin Dagar and many others.
When asked why the list was so short, Bina Kak, minister of art and culture, disagreed and said, “At least we have initiated a beginning to recognize people in this field. Those who were conferred are big names in this field. From next year onwards a committee will shortlist the awardees. One can’t accommodate all the names as Rajasthan is rich in the field of art, culture and literature. It is going to be an annual affair.”
A dejected Farid Sabri said, “It was a good initiative to recognize people of art, culture and literature. We can’t say if after earning name, fame and glory for the state through our qawaali singing, we deserve an award or not, but as a courtesy the state government should have at least invited us for the event.”
“Forget our names, there are people like ghazal singers Ahamed Hussain and Mohammed Hussain and the classical vocalists like Faimuddhin Dagar, Wasifuddin Dagar and Ustad Sultan Khan who were not among the list of recipients of awardees,” he added.
The family of an eminent vocalist said, “As a courtesy they should have invited us for the ceremony as ‘spectators’ if they are aware of the fact that my uncle was conferred with Padma Shri in 2010.”
src: timesofindia.indiatimes.com