The much-awaited and prestigious SAKHAAWARDS which are bestowed on individuals from different walks of life forcontribution of national importance, were given away on 6th May2012 at New Delhi by PECOBA (Punjab Engineering College Chandigarh OldBoys Association, New Delhi) in association with SAKHA CulturalSociety, New Delhi. At the glittering function organized by the two institutionsat Mavlankar Hall, Shri Amarjit Singh Kohli, Founder General Secretary, PECOBAand Founder Chairman, SAKHA, announced the six personalities chosen for thenational SAKHA AWARDS 2012, while stating that ‘the PECOBA and SAKHA arecelebrating historic moment of the 100 years of Indian Cinema in a big way bygiving recognition to film artists, critics, writers, journalists, editors etcwho have done extraordinary contribution in the field.
The Sakha Awardees this year included 78 yearsold Veteran Film Music Historian Nalin Shah of Mumbai, notedfilm writer Har Mandir Singh Hamraaz of Kanpur (Compiler ofHindi Film Geetkosh containing details of over 43,000 Hindi Film Songs from5661 Hindi Films from 1931 to 1980), RP Sinha, IAS Retd (Musicologist,creative writer- declared as the most versatile person), VSK Sood,President Sangam Kala Group, which organizes world’s biggest singingcompetition every year, the duo brothers Satish Popli and Jaswant Popli offamous Doremi Orchestra who have now assumed the role of grooming young singers,and Shri Kumar Vikram, Editor, National BookTrust, India for his individual contribution for the documentation ofthe Rights Catalogue of Books on Indian Cinema (Point of View) publishedby National Book Trust, India to promote translations of books on Indiancinema and for bringing together the book culture and mass media culture. SakhaAwards were instituted in 1987 and some of its past winners in the filmcategory are producers BR Chopra, Ravi Chopra, music Directors Anil Biswas,Ravinder Jain, Jaidev, Anu Malik, Ravi, Raj Kamal, playback singers Kumar Sanu,Sapna Mukerji, Abhijit, Penaz Masani, Mohinder Kapoor, Usha Timothy.
Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Uma Vasudev, theeminent litterateur who gave away the awards, lauded the efforts of PECOBA and SAKHAfor giving recognition to the veterans like Nalin Shah and other young awardeeson the same platform. Ms. Aruna Vasudev veteran Film Journalist and Founder,Asian Film Festival, who was the special speaker on the occasion, outlined thehistory of Indian Cinema and how awards give encouragement to those who servethe world of cinema through creative and other writings.
Veteran Film Music Historian Nalin Shah gave a veryinteresting and absorbing account through a Lecdem (Lecture cum demonstrationof old film scenes)of the hundred years history of Indian Films from the beginningof first silent movie “Raja Harishchandra” which was released on 3rdMay, 2012 till today when the song “Chikni Chameli” from film “Agnipath” isgenerating waves.
Chief Guest Padmashree Vikramjit Singh Sahney, founder Presidentof World Punjabi Organisation spoke in detail about the role and contributionof Punjabis in the realm of Indian Cinema as actors, directors, musicdirectors, lyricsts etc starting from the launch of First Talkie Movie “AlamAara” in 1931 in which Prithviraj Kapoor had acted through the first singingsuperstar of India legendary Kundan Lal Saigal, Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand,Dharmendra, lyricists Kedar Sharma, Sahir Ludhianvi, music directors Husan LalBhagat Ram, OP Nayyar, directors BR Chopra, Yash Chopra.
Others who spoke at the Function included 97 year old VidyanathSeth, the renowned radio singer of yesteryears, Nirmala Hussan Lal, wife of late music director Husan Lal of Husan LalBhagat Ram fame, Praminder Chopra, grandson of legendary first singingsuperstar of Indian Films Kundan Lal Saigal, Shikha Vohra Biswas daughter oflate music director Anil Biswas and Dinesh Shailendra son of lyricistShailendra.
On this occasion the book “102, NOT OUT” written by 102 yearold IS Ahuja was released by veteran film journalist and founder Asian FilmFestival Aruna Vasudev in the presence of Mr Ahuja’s family members.
