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I will always remember Dr. Priya Ranjan not only as the Chairman of JK Monitor, but as a mentor, guide and elder brother whose kindness shaped my life and work. Write a tribute at JAMMU/NEW DELHI: In a historic and momentous development in Indian Classical Music, the young music legend of India, Pandit Abhay Rustum Sopori, presented a newly composed raga dedicated to the nation and Motherland India, titled Raga Bharati. Pt. Sopori described the raga as an ode to the great country of India, stating that the Bharatiya tradition spans thousands of years, and Raga Bharati embodies the ethos of time, tradition, values, and culture that define India’s civilizational continuity.
The announcement and presentation of Raga Bharati took place at Ravindra Bhawan, New Delhi during the 3rd edition of the prestigious Delhi Kala Utsav, organized by Sanskar Bharati in New Delhi. The festival was presented in collaboration with the Art, Culture and Language Department and the Maithili-Bhojpuri Academy (Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi), along with India’s National Academies, the Sangeet Natak Akademi, Sahitya Akademi, and Lalit Kala Akademi (Ministry of Culture, Government of India).
Pt. Abhay Sopori commenced his recital of Raga Bharati with a brief Aalap and Jod, followed by two compositions set in Ektaal and Teentaal. The presentation highlighted the distinctive Sopori Baaj, the unique style created by his illustrious father Pandit Bhajan Sopori. The performance showcased his immense depth of Raagdari, Chhandkari, Layakari, Gayaki, and Tantrakari Ang enriched with his Meend, Gamak, Glides, Taans, along with intricate Bol, Chhand, and Laya patterns. He was ably accompanied by Pradip Sarkar on Tabla, Rishi Shankar Upadhyay on Pakhawaj, and his disciples Anoushka Majumdar and Poushali Dutta on Tanpura. The raga was received with great enthusiasm by the large gathering at the Utsav, who hailed Pt. Sopori’s significant contribution to Indian music.
Pt. Abhay Sopori is the present Uttaradhikari and Khalifa of the ancient Santoor tradition of India and the age-old Sopori - Sufiana Gharana of Kashmir, a 300-year-old traditional Santoor family that carries forward a legacy rooted in the spiritual Shaivite - Sufi musical tradition. He is the son of the great saintly music legend, the ‘Saint of Santoor’ and the ‘King of Strings’, late Pandit Bhajan Sopori ji.
Previously, Pt. Abhay Sopori has composed several acclaimed ragas, including Raga Nirmalkauns, Raga Mahakali, Raga Sharda, Raga Bhagwati, and Raga Bhajaneshwari. A double Top Grade awardee, both as a Santoor player and as a composer, he is also a recipient of the Sangeet Chudamani, the Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Music by Pracheen Kala Kendra. His numerous prestigious honours include the United Nations accredited Gandhi Global Family’s Mahatma Gandhi Seva Medal, Gandhi Global Peace Award, Maharaja Swati Tirunal Travancore Award, National Atal Shikhar Samman, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan National Award, Jammu & Kashmir Government Award, Sangeet Natak Akademi’s First Ustad Bismillah Khan Award, among many others.
