India was blessed to have a legendary artist like Pandit Ravi Shankar who is rightfully called, “The Godfather of World Music”. Known as the gem of Indian classical music, Pandit Ravi Shankar’s disciples and fans all over celebrated his 95^th birthday on 7^th April.

On this occasion, The Ravi Shankar Centre, New Delhi will brighten up with a music and dance festival on 7^th and 8^th April with performances by various artists likeSanjeev Shankar, Ajay Prasanna,Rashmi Khanna, Vinod Lele, Anand Shankar, Pradeep Sircar, Athar Hussain.

The maestro’s birthday is not only being celebrated here in India but also in London, UK and Cleveland, US.

Zubin Mehta, an Indian conductor of Western classical music has once said, “Everybody got to know India through Ravi. Over the years, Pandit Ravi Shankar was rightfully honored WITH awards and accolades across the world.”

Pandit Ravi Shankar not only took Indian music across the seven seas, but also Indian musicians. He was magnanimous and generous in allowing other musicians to have the limelight. His contribution to Tabla and Tabla Players is of course well known. He was the first musician to put his instrument down, gave the Taal and let the Tabla players take off. He introduced so many young musicians to the West who are famous now.

He is the only Indian in the world to have been conferred with 18 DOCTORATES, THE KNIGHTHOOD FROM BRITAIN, THE FRENCH LEGION OF HONNEUR, THE POLAR MUSIC PRIZE, THE PRAEMIUM IMPIRIALE FROM JAPAN, THE PRESTIGIOUS BAHART RATNA AND SEVERAL prestigious awards for his contribution to the world of music and culture. He is also a FIVE TIME winner of the Grammy Award INCLUDING A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT. His music and legacy will keep playing and motivating generations to come.

Keeping his musical roots alive, the Shankar family will fly down to Mumbai this WINTER, 2015 to share some great stories about the wonderful musician and walk down memory lane which was rich and prosperous.

To end with a quote of Pandit Ravi Shankar. “I try to give to my music the spiritual quality, very deep in the soul, which does something even if you are not realizing it or analyzing it - that's the BEAUTY of the music.”