Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, has bestowed the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2022 upon local musician Prof. Harvinder Singh for his remarkable contributions to the field of Hindustani classical music. The President of India will present this esteemed honour to Prof. Harvinder Singh in a special ceremony to be organised in New Delhi.
Expressing his gratitude, Prof. Harvinder Singh thanked Sangeet Natak Akademi and the Government of India for recognizing his achievements in the performing arts. He dedicated this award to all his musical mentors, acknowledging the impact of their guidance on his journey.
Prof. Singh attributed this honour to the rigorous training and Riyaz (practice) he underwent, considering it not just a personal achievement but a tribute to the rich cultural traditions of India, particularly Punjab, Punjabi, and Punjabiyat.
It is noteworthy that since the inception of these awards by the Government of India in 1952, Prof. Harvinder Singh is the second Sikh to receive this prestigious recognition in Hindustani Classical Music. Prior to him, Singh Bandhu was the sole recipient. The significance of Hindustani Classical Music in Sikhism is underscored by Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s emphasis on Indian Raga music in his Bani.
Prof. Harvinder Singh initiated his musical journey under the guidance of his father, Bhai Santa Singh. He received formal musical education from Ustad Yunus Hussain Khan, the ‘Khalifa’ of Agra Gharana, and Pandit Yashpal ‘Sagun Piya.’ Additionally, he honed his skills under the tutelage of renowned musicians from the Gwalior Gharana, including Pandit Laxman Krishnarao Pandit and Pandit Atma Prakash Sharma.
Prof. Singh has graced many prestigious music festivals in India and abroad, including Tansen Music Festival, Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan, and All India Bhaskar Rao Music and Dance Festival.
His illustrious career has been acknowledged with awards such as Sangeet Manishi, Kala Shree, and an Honor by the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. Recently, he concluded his tenure as the Head of the Department in Music at Post Graduate Government College for Girls, Sector 11, Chandigarh.
