Leading academic Professor Nazira Karodia, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University of Wolverhampton, has been honoured for her “exceptional” work.
Professor Karodia was among other dignitaries each of whom spoke at the annual Birmingham Thyagaraja Festival. The list included West Midlands’ mayoral candidate Andy Street, Mayor of Solihull Cllr Mike Robinson and Mayoress Jenny Robinson, new Indian Consul General in Birmingham Dr Aman Puri, Birmingham Children’s Hospital deputy chairman Vij Randeniya and Dr Rajah and his wife from The Balaji Temple.
The festival, which this year coincided with the UK-India Year of Culture, saw aspiring singers, musicians and professional dancers bring to life the songs, rhythms and teachings of Thyagaraja, one of the legendary composers of Indian and Carnatic classical music.
Thyagaraja, also known as the singing saint, composed thousands of devotional hymns, most in praise of the Hindu God, Lord Rama, many of which remain popular today.
He was born in 1767 at Thiruvarur in Tamil Nadu. He was named after the presiding deity of the famous temple in his native Thiruvarur. He was one of three sons.
The event was organised by Shruthi UK, a South Asian arts organisation based in Solihull, brainchild of Dr Chithra Ramakrishnan, who hails from a family of talented musicians and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, (RSA).
Sending his good wishes, Narendra Modi, India’s Prime Minister, said: “Music of the Singing Saint is rejoiced by those in India and abroad and he is indeed, a pride, among many, of our great nation.”
Also in attendance was one of the world’s most well-known gurus of Carnatic music, Guru Vid Shri Neyveli Santhanagopalan – a patron of Shruthi UK’s sister organisation the British Carnatic Choir.
Shruthi UK aims to inspire and motivate people from all ages and backgrounds but particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. For more information visit www.shruthiuk.com
The UK-India Year of Culture was formally launched at Buckingham Palace in February. It aims to celebrate the deep cultural ties and the 70th anniversary of India’s Independence through a year-long programme of events and exhibitions which will take place in both countries.
