PESHAWAR: The Aga Khan Music Awards Master Jury has announced to honour 10 prominent folk artists, composers and instrumentalists around the world and Pashto folk maestro Zarsanga Bibi is among the recipients of the prestigious award.

Senior vocalists, artist organisations and music buffs have appreciated conferring the Aga Khan music award on Pashto melody queen Zarsanga Bibi. They have demanded of the authorities to provide permanent abode and healthcare to the folk music maestro.

Shahzada Khan, the son of Zarsanga, told this scribe by telephone that his legendary mother would proceed to Oman’s capital Muscat to receive the celebrated award at an event to be held in last week of October. The award ceremony is held triennially to encourage folk music tradition across the globe.

“It was a matter of great pride for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and our beloved country at large when Aga Khan Music Awards Master Jury decided to confer the most covered award on my mother in recognition of her tremendous contribution to Pashto music,” he said with pride.

Award giving ceremony to be held in Muscat in last week of this month

Zarsanga, when contacted, said that he news put a fresh spirit in her though her financial condition was far from good because she was forced to live in a tent in the open in Kohat district along with a crowded family exceeding 80 members and all dependent on her.

“I have not attended any music concert since my last performance on a private Pashto TV channel,” said the octogenarian folk maestro.

Aga Khan Music Master Jury (AKMAMJ) has announced awards for 10 popular folk music artists around the world including two from India, one each from Afghanistan, Iran, Tanzania, Mauritania, Indonesia, Mali and UK. The winners have been selected from over 400 nominations.

The cash award $500,000 would be shared by 10 winners and six special mentions including Sain Zahoor, prominent Punjabi folk musician with a lifelong practice of singing Sufi poetry in local shrines and festivals, often accompanied by ecstatic dance.

Zalubai alias Zarsanga launched her singing career from Radio Pakistan Peshawar in her early teens and since then has been contributing to Pashto folk music having represented Pakistan in the US, UK, Japan, Germany and Gulf countries.

Khayal Mohammad, senior folk singer, said that he was pleased to hear about Zarsanga’s award at a global level. He said that she deserved it. “I appeal to music buffs and well-off fans to provide a humble abode to the legend Pashto singer, Zarsanga Bibi,” he added.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2022