KARACHI: The 8th Tehzeeb Festival and Awards held at the Marriot Hotel on Sunday was an amalgamation of classical music in different styles and genres.

The annual festival is held featuring classical, folk and Sufi music by musicians from Pakistan and India and recognises legends in their respective musical genres.

Tehzeeb Foundation is working for the advancement and promotion of music, literature and fine arts in Pakistan. It is also carrying out preservation and archiving of classical music of the subcontinent. It is a non-profit organisation registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860.

MNA Aftab Shah was the chief guest at this year’s awards and two individuals were awarded the Tehzeeb Awards. The first was famed singer Bilqees Khanam, the wife of Ustad Rais. Her son Farhan was present to receive the award, who is widely known for his sitar. He later performed alongside his brother Hasnain in a segment dedicated to remembering Ustad Rais Khan.

The other award was given to Ustad Raza Ali Khan from Delhi. He is the grandson of the late Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and leading vocalist of the Kasur Patiala Gharana. He is also an accomplished music director and composer

The Tehzeeb awards have been given to great luminaries, including Ustad Fateh Ali Khan, Ustad Rais Khan in the area of classical music. In the area of Urdu literature, Zehra Nigah was also awarded. Saleema Hashmi was awarded in the genre of fine arts.

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2017