Pankaj Udhas' Family on His Padma Bhushan Honour: "Bittersweet Moment, We Wish He Were Here"
Late ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas belongs to Padma Bhushan and his (whole) family attended the event to tell us how they felt for their loss on that day.
Pankaj Udhas' Family on His Padma Bhushan Honour: "Bittersweet Moment, We Wish He Were Here"
He received the posthumous Padma Bhushan award barely a few days after his passing, which stands as a tribute to his eternal voice and everlasting influence in the realms of music and art. The award was presented to Udhas' wife Farida Udhas by President Droupadi Murmu on Monday evening (April 28)."I accepted the award on his behalf. It was an emotional blend."
At the function scheduled at Rashtrapati Bhawan, in Delhi, were Pankaj Udhas's daughters Reva and Nayaab. Elder daughter Nayaab recalls, "It was the proudest moment of our lives." Adding to me and my sister Reva's proud mood were the Padma Bhushan honours that he had received. The same thing was said by every single person that came up to us-"Your father is the one who popularized ghazal music amongst the masses". Meeting President Droupadi Murmu and our Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a poignant moment. They talked so highly of dad and shared memories of how they knew him. The fact that they took out the time to personally meet every winner and their families meant so much about how much they care about art and its creators.
Pankaj Udhas has taken his last breath on 26th February 2024. A ghazal maestro, he rose to fame with the album Aahat in early 1980s, which became an overnight sensation among fans of music.
