Bharat Ratna recipient “Lata Mangeshkar”, the trustee of the Master Deenanath Smruti Pratisthan , Pune conferred the 72nd Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Awards to anti corruption activist Anna Hazare for social awareness, musician Zakir Hussain and Pandharinath Kolhapure for music, veteran actor Rishi Kapoor for theater and cinema.
Founders of Anamika and Rasika Sanstha, theatre personalities Dinesh Pedanekar and Mukta Barve,bagged the award for the best drama of the year, ‘Chapa Kata’, and actor Shivaji Satam was awarded for Marathi cinema and theatre.
The award which is now in its silver jubilee year comprises Rs. 1,01,001 cash prize, a momento and citation.Personally felicitating each of the awardee, Lata Mangeshkar said,”We commemorate my father’s death anniversary as ‘Smriti Din’ April 24 every year. These awards are given to eminent people in the field of cinema, music, theater, literature and social work.”
The legendary singer shared her memories while felicitating the awards. While felicitating Ustad Zakir Hussain she told that she remember him accompanying his father Ustad Allah Rakha who treated her like is daughter. Once she recorded six songs in a day for him for a movie. And now his son has grown as a prominent artiste and making India proud all over the world.She also recalled Rishi kapoor as a two year old toddler playing in her arms.
‘When Pandit Hridaynath Mangeshkar travelled to his village Ralegan-Siddhi in Ahmadnagar, he could not refuse it.I told him he could have just telephoned me and I would have accepted it. Though in the past I have been offered an award with a cash prize of one crore rupees, I declined it as I was unsure of the organizers. But when the Mangeshkars approached me I had no doubts and I happily agreed,” said Anna Hazare.
The awards was presented at a function on April 24, which marks the death anniversary of Deenanath Mangeshkar, who passed away in 1942 at the young age of 41.
