LUCKNOW – The Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi, in collaboration with the Culture Department of Uttar Pradesh, successfully organized “Pushpanjali,” a musical tribute dedicated to the memory of the legendary Padmavibhushan Vidushi Girija Devi. The event was held today, on September 24, 2025, at the Sant Gadgeji Maharaj Auditorium within the academy’s premises.
The program commenced with a ceremonial lamp-lighting by esteemed guests, including Prof. Jayant Khot, Chairman of U.P. Sangeet Natak Akademi; Prof. Sahitya Kumar Nahar, former Vice-Chancellor of Raja Mansingh Tomar Music University; Dr. Purnima Pandey, former Chairperson of U.P. Sangeet Natak Akademi; and Dr. Shobhit Kumar Nahar, Director of U.P. Sangeet Natak Akademi.
Acknowledgements were extended to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Culture and Tourism Minister Jaiveer Singh, Principal Secretary Amrit Abhijat, along with the academy’s Chairman Prof. Jayant Khot, Vice-Chairman Vibha Singh, and Director Dr. Shobhit Kumar Nahar for their support in organizing such significant cultural events. The ceremony was attended by numerous distinguished citizens.
The musical performances began with a mesmerizing flute recital by Rupak Kulkarni, who presented a composition in Raag Yaman. He was accompanied on the tabla by Mithilesh Jha and on the flute by Manjeet Singh. Following this, renowned Mumbai-based vocalist Ajay Pohankar captivated the audience with his renditions, starting with the bandishes “Tum bin mori khabariya…” and “Main kar aayi solah shringar,” followed by a series of presentations in various ragas. He was accompanied by Athar Hussain on tabla, Vinayak Sahay on sarangi, and Dharamnath Mishra on harmonium.
The performances were met with immense appreciation from the audience. The event concluded with a vote of thanks from the Director of the U.P. Sangeet Natak Akademi, Dr. Shobhit Kumar Nahar. The successful organization of the program was also credited to the special cooperation of the academy’s staff, including Saurabh Saxena, Akhilesh Yadav, Pawan, Prashant, and Mahima Singh.
