On the occasion of late Prem Dhoj Pradhan’s 87th birth anniversary, three composers have been honored by the ‘Golden Voice Prem Dhoj Pradhan Memorial Foundation’. Lyricist Kiran Kharel, senior sitar player Ustaj Taraveer Singh Tuladhar and singer Milan Newar are among those honored. In a program held today in Lalitpur, poet and folklorist Tulsi Diwas presented the Prem Dhoj Pradhan Memorial National Music Award with Rs. 1,00,000 to senior lyricist Kharel for his significant contribution in the field of song and music. Similarly, senior sitarist Tuladhar was awarded the Prem Dhoj Pradhan Memorial National Instrumental Music Award with Rs. 75,000. Likewise, singer Newar has been honored with the Prem Dhoj Pradhan Memorial National Youth Music Award with Rs 50,000.
After handing over the honors and awards, Diwas said that it is important to bring the tradition of honoring personalities who have contributed in the fields of literature, art and culture to the public level. “It is necessary to advance the development of the country not only in physical form but also in artistic and literary form. I appreciate the program based on Prem Dhoj Pradhan”, he said. Diwas said that songs and music not only provide entertainment, but also play an important role in the development of the country.
Senior poet and lyricist Dinesh Adhikari said that after the first song was recorded in Radio Nepal in 2013 BS in the voice of Prem Dhoj Pradhan, the dominance of Hindi songs is disappearing. “In the voice of Prem Dhoj Pradhan, a song called ‘Yo Nepali Shir Uchali, Sansarama Lamkininha…..’ was recorded in Radio Nepal in 2013 BS. After the year 2014 BS, Nepali songs started being recorded, till then Hindi songs were dominant. Hindi songs started to be displaced, Nepali songs started to be established”, he said.
Lyricist Adhikari opined that if one had to look at the sophistication and modification of the Nepali language, it would happen by studying Kharel’s songs. Mentioning that nature, love and folk life can be found in Kharel’s songs, he said that more than two dozen of Kharel’s songs flowed in the voice of Prem Dhoj Pradhan. Anand Karki, Udesh Shrestha, Suraj Thapa and award-winning artist Newar performed the songs of Prem Dhoj Pradhan at the award ceremony.
