Named after legendary singer, J&K to now rechristen info dept auditorium in Srinagar after late santoor maestro

J&K has issued order of naming auditorium in Srinagar in memory of late santoor maestro without knowing that only last year same auditorium had been named after another famous folk legendary singer

The Jammu and Kashmir administration has issued an order of naming the auditorium at the information department office in Srinagar in memory of famous musician Pandit Bhajan Sopori without knowing that only last year the same auditorium had been named after another famous folk legendary singer, Raj Begum.

Both Bhajan Sopori (in pic) and Raj Begum were legendary musicians of Kashmir who contributed a lot to promoting the art and culture of J&K, especially music. J&K has issued an order of naming auditorium at info dept office in Srinagar in memory of late santoor maestro Pandit Bhajan Sopori. (HT Photo)

Both Bhajan Sopori and Raj Begum were legendary musicians of Kashmir who contributed a lot to promoting the art and culture of J&K, especially music.

“Sanction is hereby accorded in the naming of auditorium hall, information department, Polo Ground, Srinagar, in the memory of Late Pandit Bhajan Sopori. It is further ordered that the information department shall take the immediate necessary steps, including amending their records, for effecting the change and ensure the appropriate event is held in connection with the naming of the above-mentioned auditorium,” reads the order issued by the under-secretary to government, Mohit Raina.

Commissioner secretary to the government, Piyush Singhla said the order was issued last month. He, however, didn’t respond why the auditorium was again renamed within a few months after dedicating it to a folk singer.

Last year, the general administration department (GAD) had issued a similar order for naming the same auditorium in the memory of Raj Begum. The order was issued by then commissioner secretary to J&K government, Manoj Kumar Dwivedi in October 2021.

Former Additional director general Doordarshan and former secretary Cultural Academy, Rafeeq Masoodi, said if the auditorium was named after Raj Begum, then there shouldn’t have been a new order.

“Raj Begum was a legendary singer and this is unacceptable. Bhajan Sopori was also a legendary musician but there are many other places that could have been named after the famous musician,” he said.

While Bhajan Sopori, a famous musician and Santoor maestro, passed away in June this year in New Delhi, 90-year-old Raj Begum passed away in 2016 in Srinagar. Known as the Nightingale of Kashmir, Raj Begum, enthralled millions with her mellifluous voice for more than seven decades before she passed away. Begum had started singing when it was considered taboo for women in the deeply conservative Kashmir of the time. She was known as the queen of Kashmiri folk music and ghazals. Begum was honoured with a Padma Shri in 2002 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 2013.