Minoti Khaund: The evergreen violinist of 70's musical world of Assam, she is undoubtedly one of the most popular violinist today and can equally be placed among the best. With her disarming smile and charming manner, the bespectacled Minoti Khaund exudes a comfortable air: music, she says takes her closet to divinity and accords her peace and tranquility. It is an invigorating experience which exalts her spirits.
Born in a well to do Phukan paribar of Jorhat. Her father Manik Chandra Phukan and mother Nalini Debi. She was raised in a culturally rich atmosphere. Her maternal grandfather: Bisheswar Sharma, well-known Tea planter and a culturally gharana of Jorhat. Being a connoisseur of the fine arts himself encouraged Minoti and bought her a violin. So, she started to play at a tender age of 10.
Minoti had her early training in violin from Shri Indreswar Sarma of Jorhat, in the music school of late Darpanath Sarma. She performed in several concerts and festivals and the turning point in her life came when she was performing at the All Assam Music Conference in 1972 and violin maestro Pt. V.G.Jog heard her on stage and offered to impart his art to Minoti. Her husband Kabindra Ram Khaund and the daughter in law of Deputy Commissioner Rabindra Ram Khaund a traditional family of Assam supported her and started her apprenticeship under Pt .Jog. Thereafter started the traditional Gururshisya Parampara between Minoti and Padmavibhusahan Pt Jog.
The Rising Talent Conference at Kalamandir Calcutta in 1978 introduced Minoti as a talented artiste. There has been no looking back since then. The Amir Khan Music Conference at Rabindra Sadan Calcutta, Benaras, Burdwan, Cuttack, Bhubaneshwar, Tatanagar, Rabindra Natya Mandir mumbai, India International Center Delhi, Mehta Memorial Hall Allahabad, IIT Festival, Shankardev Kalakshetra Guwahati, National Gallery of Modern Art Mumbai, India Habitat Centre Delhi, Women's International Forum Goa, Madhusudhan Manch Kolkatta etc were the platforms that Minoti performed in and enthralled the audience and press alike. She became the foremost violinist of Assam. She was conferred the title of Sangeet Jyoti.
Minoti started her parallel studies in the field of music and attained Sangeet Nipune from Prayag Sangeet Samitti, Allahabad, in 1986, bagging a gold medal for her Sangeet Visharad. During this period she also got associated with vocalist Pt. A.T, Kanan of the Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkatta and imbibed the "gayaki ang" in her style. She also underwent music studies in the field of raga improvisations and rhythmic patterns of "tala" from sarod maestro and musicologist Pt. Buddhadev Dasgupta.
Sunita Bhuyan is a violinist of the Hindustani style and has carved a niche for herself as an upcoming musician of India. Recepient of the Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini award for Music. She was initiated into musicat a tender age by her mother Minoti Khaund. The mother daughter duo of Minoti and Sunita have performed duets all over the country and abroad, regaling the audience and the press alike with their "jugalbandi". What makes her great is: selection of her tune, her style of presentation and she stried to give a semi-classical touch which has a blend of folk western classical.
Sunita has attained a master's degree in Hindustani Music from Prayag Sangeet Samitte, with a distinction and has also studied advanced music under the apprenticeship of violin maestro Padmabibhushan Late Pt V.G. Jog.
Minoti Khaund, the award winning violin master whose musical career spanning 50 years. She has been awarded the prestigious Silpi Bata this year by Govt. of Assam.
A violin recital by Minoti Khaund and her daughter Sunita Bhuyan are on an exclusive UK tour at the prestigious Nehru Centre (the Cultural wing of Indian High Commission) on 26th June and other British cities: Manchester: Kalapremi mandal, Birmingham and Nottingham organized by Rini Kakati, NRI Co-ordinator for UK.
Also the Glasgow concert is organized by Mrs. Anima Sharma, an active member of Lancashire Hindu Association.
A citizens meeting at Guwahati Press Club yesterday expressed serious concern at the increasing rate of killing of tigers in various parts of Assam and urges the State government to activate the forest department and its public relation wings to fight against the superstition involving the wildlife parts. Attended by a number wildlife and environment activists, the meeting also appealed to the government to enlighten the police personnel on wildlife issues as well.
Initiated by activist-journalist Mubina Akhter, the meeting was attended and addressed by Soumyadeep Datta of Nature’s Beckon, Bibhab Talukder of Aranyak, Purnima Sarma of Early Birds, Satyaranjan Bora of Seuji...
The Tea Board is in a process to shift its regional office from Guwahati to Jorhat. If everything goes hunky dory, the country's tea apex body will ensure it within a short spell of six months. The Tea Board has already finlized the decision.
Disclosing this, sources told Assamtimes that the Jorhat office would be of great help to boost the tea sector in the state. The decision as pending before the Tea Board since the Assam Government moved the proposal few couple of years.
Meanwhile, in yet another bid to help the small tea growers, the Assam government would soon set up a tea dirctorate in Dibrugarh within a period of two years.
Notbly, the small tea growers have been crying a...
The anti dam protest received yet another boost when hundreds of AASU activists started a three day long blockade at Gerukamukh to disrupt the supplies of machinaries to the NHPC-owned big dams construction site.
Talking to Assamtimes,local AASU leaders said that they started the blockade from Friday to end on Sunday. They further said that the would force Assam and Arunachal Pradesh governments to stop the construction of mega dams till it is ensured that the downstream areas would have no adverse impact.
AASU began the road blockade immediately after KMSS suspended protest in Lakhimpur and Dhemaji for three days.
Properties worth several lakh have been reduced to ashes when a devastating fire broke out in Sivasagar on Saturday.
The incident took place in the evening at Station Chariali in the heart of the town where at least 30 houses were razed to ground. The fire broke out immediately after the burst of a LPG cylinder at around 7-30 in the evening which later was quickly spreading to the adjacent houses. Fire tenders were arrived in the spot but by then the fire engulfed more than 30 houses including some shops. The extent of damage is yet to be ascertained.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki has sought Centre’s intervention to resolve the big dam agitation simmering in Lakhimpur and Dhemaji.
The Chief minister on Friday called on Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde in Delhi and sought his intervention in the on-going agitation against NHPC project at Gerukamukh.
He called on Sindhe after protesters served a two-day ultimatum to Dispur to break the stalemate and threatened to go for a massive blockade. Accompanied by MP Takam Sanjoy, Tuki requested him to convene a meeting of the chief ministers of Assam and Arunachal besides MPs of both the states to end the on-going stalemate. Tuki, further, urged the...
Lakhim and Dhemaji districts are set to heave a sigh of relief. KMSS, AJYCP, TMPK have called off the big dam blockade from Saturday.
Addressing a press conference in Lakhimpur on Friday, KMSS leader Akhil Kumar Gogoi said that they would suspend the blockade on Saturday and Sunday. He said they have decided to call off the stir in view of the government’s appeal to create a congenial atmosphere for talks. “ We hope that the government will show its willingness for talks within the next two days,” said Gogoi.
He further criticized Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki who very recently refused to halt the NHPC constriction work despite a hail of protest in...
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Friday accused KMSS and other anti big dam organizations of trying to foment trouble in the state.
Addressing a function in Jorhat, Gogoi said those agitating against the mega dam donot want any process of development to take place and that they want unrest to prevail in the state. Gogoi’s statement assumes significance a day after he alleged presence of ULFA and Maoist elements in the anti big dam protest.
The Assam government is on the hunt for getting a new DGP appointed to replace Shankar Baruah who retires on Saturday.
According to information, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is actively considering two names----SC Goswami and Jayanta Narayan Chaudhury. Goswami, is senior most additional DGP who is working as chairman cum Managing director with Assam Police Housing Corporation. Another name is Jayanta Narayan Choudhury. He is 1978 batch IPS officer and is in the stint as Next in seniority is additional director, IB. The name is expected to finalise within the next 12 hours. Notably, Shankar Baruah retires on Saturday.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday alleged presence of ULFA and Maoist elements in the simmering anti big dam agitation in Lakhimpur and Dhemaji.
Talking to reporters in the sidelights of a function in Guwahati, Gogoi said that such a big demonstration in the form of road blockade was not possible for KMSS to organize without the active help and support from Maoists and ULFA.
He said that the government keeps its door open to discuss anything with protestors. But in the same breath he said he wont allow anybody to take law on their own hands. “My position is clear. If one takes law on one’s hand we not remain silent.”
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