USTAD’S LEGACY

Lalu to be ‘brand ambassador’NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 23, 2006 (UNI) A political veteran and the latest management guru, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad will now become the “brand ambassador” of shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan’s legacy.As a step to perpetuate the memory of the music wizard, Lalu Prasad is going to place the first-ever autographed monograph on him in over 7000-odd railway stations across the country.Pointing out that “charity begins at home”, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) President said, “I will make the monograph on Bismillah Khan easily accessible and give an opportunity to the poor to know his contribution to Indian music and his secular philosophy.”Recalling the life-philosophy of the maestro, Mr Prasad said Bismillah Khan had once said “once we realise that we all are the creation of a single divine force, harmony and unity will prevail”.The 200-page monograph has been brought out by Neena and Shivnath Jha, a Delhi-based journalist couple, who were moved by the plight of Bismillah Khan who had to virtually conduct a charity show for his own benefit in the Parliament Annexe four years ago. The monograph was released by the shehnai maestro on his 91st birthday on March 25 this year.It was launched in India and across the world on September 17, coinciding with Khan Saheb’s chaliswan, the 40th and final day of his mourning. An ornamental issue of the monograph was forwarded to President A P J Abdul Kalam.“It is the first and the only book in the country to be launched as part of a movement to extend financial support to the needy artists. It is our responsibility to strengthen the movement and spread Khan Saheb’s philosophy of secularism,” Mr Prasad said. “I have gone through the monograph. Besides information on Bismillah Khan and his contribution to Indian music and cinema, it contains rare photographs of the maestro’s life, and his ancestral house in Bihar shot by Patna-based photo-journalist Alok Jain,” the minister added.“This monograph will help the youth and music lovers to know the legend and his association with Benaras and the Ganga river,” he said. Shivnath Jha said the monograph was not only a book, but also a movement.“Ustadji was not only thrilled to see it, but readily appended his signature after writing the first few words with which the Quran begins — Alhan-do-lillah (God be praised),” Mr Jha said