“I have stayed hungry for several days and learnt music despite starvation. Whatever I’m today is solely because of my father,” musician K.J. Yesudas said. “Having learnt music from several legends, I firmly believe I have received it because of their blessings,” he said after receiving the ‘SKGS Thyagaraja Seva Rathna Award’ at Krishna Gana Sabha here on Sunday.
Speaking at the function, Leela Samson, chairperson of Sangeet Natak Akademy and Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), said Yesudas' greatest strength was his humility.
“The greatest composers of this land were quiet in their dignity and almost hid their names from the compositions but for the ‘mudras’. This, in my opinion, is not a weakness; it is courage that comes from humility. Similarly, humility is Mr. Yesudas’ strength,” she said.
Mridangam exponent Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman appreciated Mr. Yesudas for his efforts to learn the meaning of every song he sang, whatever be the language.
Industrialist Nalli Kuppuswami, musician P.S. Narayanaswamy and Y. Prabhu, general secretary of Krishna Gana Sabha, were among those who spoke at the function. The programme was followed by a concert by Veena exponent Rajesh Vaidya and Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman.
