O P Sharma
Mr Sambyal is recipient of “Rajiv Gandhi Rashtriya Ekta Saman in 2008; Rashtriya Nirman Puruskar during 2015 and Lifetime Achievement Award from the UT of J&K. He is an approved A-grade artist of Hindustani Classical Music.
Music sweetens the life of everyone, everywhere across the globe and its classical category is its soul, opines Dr Vijay Sambyal, a famed top musician, popularly known as Rangeeley Thakur. He is from Samba in UT of Jammu and Kashmir and after superannuation on July 31,2016 as Station Diretor, AIR, is still actively engaged in projection and promotion of classical music, especially among the new generation.
He has rare passion for preservation of classical music by propagating and training the youth in this field; even at his age and stage of life, through the “Bharatiya Sangeet Sansthan”, almost free of cost to keep alive the Indian classical music in the country. His special interest is: Khayaal gayaki and Bhajan in classical style. In addition, he did research work extensively on topic :”Effects of Indian Music on human beings with special reference to Psychosomatic Disorders” at Banaras Hindu University. VK Sambyal has married Indira, grand-daughter of stalwart politican, Kamlapati Tripathi. He has the distinction of having participated in many prestigious musical concerts, both within the country and abroad winning high appreciations.
Mr Sambyal is recipient of “Rajiv Gandhi Rashtriya Ekta Saman in 2008; Rashtriya Nirman Puruskar during 2015 and Lifetime Achievement Award from the UT of J&K. He is an approved A-grade artist of Hindustani Classical Music.
He is now settled at a small village, Chalani in Aithm block (Nagrota) on the outskirts of Jammu city and leading a saintly but active social life dedicated to the classical music enriching the cultural life of the people and has distinction of holding some superb classical music programmes in the City of Temple, Jammu, which has proud distinction of having provided to the Bharat great sons: K L Sehal ( famed singer & actor), Pt Shivkumar Sharma( Santoor maestro) Allah Rahka (Tabla wizar) and many other stalwarts in different fields of life.
Vijay Sambyal was born to Krishan Singh and Krishna at Kehli Mandi in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir UT during 1955 and got education within and outside Jammu and Kashmir as well.
In an exclusive interview with me recently, V K Sambyal narrated the story of his life and notable attainments in the musical field and expressed his deep interest, passion and professionalism.
Excerpts follow:
Q Firstly, how and why you stepped into field of music?
A When I was a child, my father believed that it was very important that a student should be engaged actively in studies and also involve in some co-curricular activity in evenings with some productive outcome. So, he asked my first guru Thakur Chanchal Singh to teach music to my brother and I also generally used to listen to them. Later, at a music contest organised by Jammu Music Academy I bagged third prize with the result my Guru started concentrating on me. Subsequently, I remained under the guidance of different gurus in Jammu as well as in Kashi ( Varanasi) like M R Gautam, M V Thakaar, Dr. Chitranjan Joshi, Pt. Balwant Raibhat.
Also learnt Tabla from Pandit Chote Lalji Mishra.
Q What is your specialisation in music?
A My area of specialization is “Khayaal Gayaki and Bhajan in classical music. I feel it is essentially important that we need to stay connected to our roots and save our precious cultural legacy. The best way is to preserve and promote classical music, which connects us with our roots..
Q Could you re-collect for us your few memorable musical performances?
A Few moments of my life which I still fondly cherish are: my musical performance in the Sankat Mochan Sangeet Sammelan in Banaras for five to six times consecutively. While in Mumbai, I sung at the Samadhi of Abdul Karim Khan saheb and also performed in Kanpur, Jalandhar, Prayagraj (Allahbad), Orissa, Lucknow but one performance that is close to my heart was in Bhopal at Ustad Allaudin Khan Sangeet Academy “Aarambh”. There I was accompanied by Abdul Lateef Khan Saheb on Sarangi and Kiran Deshpande. It all went really well and is memorable indeed!
Q How and why was your attraction for music?
A It naturally came to me and all along “inner voice” led my path continuously.
Q And from whom you drew inspiration and sustained you in this field ?
A Music is my life-long companion and in fact, now an eternal part of my life.
Q Your happiest moments of life and the desires you still wish to achieve in future?
A I enjoy my life but become happy when my students make a distinct mark on the music front. I may say that my promising young shishyaa, Ridima Bajpai will continue this tradition responsibly. She has won first prize in competition organised by Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan Society and also bagged other coveted awards. Dr. Roshi Shamimotra is also among my students for many years now
Q What sustains your practice and projection of classical music and your plans for the future in the field of music?
A I am still in the journey of the music front. I may point out that Ridima Bajpai, Dr. Roshi Shamnotra are my students for many years and also Dr. Chinmai Sharma and Prof. Kusha Sharma are A-grade folk artists and are also pursuing with dedication classical music for several years. Few of my other students are Rakesh Deol now in Mumbai, Shubham Banmotra, Krishna Punam Puran, Sardar Kulmehek Johal, Manju Bala to name only few who are making outstanding mark in classical music.
Q. In your post-retirement life, how you are still carrying on your mission to promote classical music in this challenging sphere in the context of present global cross-cultural context?
A After serving as Station Director, AIR Station, Jammu in 2016, I felt duty-bound to pay back the “debt” of my Duggar land and started teaching classical music in traditional Guru-Shishya Parampara in Jammu. Even now, I am teaching youngsters, boys and girls, without any financial gain as I believe that the youth of this time should be quite sensitive to our ancient traditions as well as precious heritage.
I have taught many children but two of them have moved abroad: Sardar Ravinder Singh Ragi and Sardar Tejinder Singh Ragi. They now live in England. While, In Jammu my old students are Ashutosh Magotra and Pankaj Pradhan who have also made their contribution.
Q What is the mantra (secret) of your life?
A Doing my job with full faith and dedication always bears fruitful results, I firmly believe.
Q Which is driving force behind your mission of popularizing our traditional and classical music, which is our proud identity and prized- heritage? Have you faith that future generations will carry forward your mission?
A I am confident that Indian classical music has bright future. For it sustained efforts have to be put in
(The author is a Jammu-based senior Journalist)
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