The much awaited 17th Vasantotsav, curated and organised by Dr. Suresh Wadkar of Ajivasan Music Academy had a great start as legendary Actor Amitabh Bachchan felicitated Padma Vibhushan Kathak Maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj with the ‘Uttam Vag-Geykar Jialal Vasant Award’ for this year. Vasantotsav marked the beginning of celebrations lined up for the entire 2017, since this year Ajivasan Music Academy is celebrating 100th Birth anniversary of Guruji Acharya Jialal Vasant, founder of Acharya Jialal Vasant Sangeet Niketan.

The festivity was then followed by an enchanting vocal performance by Ustad Rashid Khan. Padma Vibhusan Pandit Birju Maharaj also made one of those rare appearances on stage along with Ustad Zakir Hussain, a combination that can set the stage on fire. Maharaj ji created some very novel rhythmic patterns and jugalbandis with Ustad Zakir Hussain. Many prominent personalities including Pankaj Udhas, Hariharan, Javed Ali, Shailendra Singh, Sadhna Sargam and others attended the event. Master of ceremonies, highly appreciated Shailesh Lodha took charge of the microphone & presented each item in a magnificent style worthy of full praise.

The ‘Uttam Vag-Geykar Jialal Vasant Award’ was instituted in 2001 in honour of Acharya Jialal Vasant who himself was an Uttam Vag-Geykar - an accomplished musician, proficient in all the three fields of music i.e. Vocal, Instrumental Music and Dance. The Festival and award is a way to fulfil Guruji's dream of bringing back the pristine glory of Indian Classical music so that the youth in India and world over respect Indian heritage.