About Anup Jalota
Anup Jalota, the household name for Bhajans and Ghazals, has thought of nothing but music all his life. His father, Bhajan exponent Purushottam Das Jalota , is also his mentor. Born in Nainital and educated in Lucknow, he started his musical career as an All India Radio chorus singer.
Honored as the “Bhajan Samrat” of India, Anup Jalota has wowed audiences and devotees with his divine singing. He has released many albums that have gone Gold and Platinum and created World records. He has also given music for many Hindi, Gujarati and Bengali films. Known for his versatility, the smiling and ever-obliging Anup Jalota renders Bhajans and Ghazals with equal grace and finesse. His mellifluous & powerful voice has an incredible range. A voice that soothes the soul, this icon leaves audiences spellbound in admiration with his renditions.
Personal life
Anup Jalota was married to Late Medha Ji, niece of former Indian Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral. They have a 16 year old son, Aryaman (means noble mind). Anup Jalota hails from the Sham Chowrasi Gharana of Punjab. Although a Punjabi, Anup Jalota sings in 8 different languages. A philanthropist, Anup Jalota held charity concerts and created a fund to support Indian victims’ families of the September 11 tragedy in New York City.
Little wonder that he enjoys an incredible fan following beyond the boundaries of India right up to North America and Europe.
Follow on :
List of Awards & Titles :
- Govt of India has conferred him with 4th highest civilian Award Padma Shri on 26th January 2012.
- He was felicitated by British Parliaments “House Of Commons” & also received Annual Globe Award on 15th July 2010.
- Sangeet Natak Academy Award – U.P. Govt.
- Screen Film Music Award, Mumbai.
- Gandharva Gaan Mani Award – Kanchi Shankaracharya Math
- Citizen Council Award – Gujarat Govt
- Manav Ratna Award – Global Sai Foundation
- Bhajan Samrat – Shankaracharya Peeth
- Rasheshwar Award – Sur Singar Samsad, Mumbai
- He has sung in 9 languages
- Has earned a record number of 100 Gold, Platinum and Multi-Platinum Discs
- Has recorded and sung over 2000 Bhajans, Ghazals, and Geets
- Has performed over 5000 live concerts spread over 300 cities on all five continents
- Has performed at prestigious venues like Royal Albert Hall, Wembley, Lincoln Center, Madison Square Garden, Sydney Opera House & Esplanade many a times.
- Over 30 years, released more than 200 albums of Ghazals & Bhajans
Shri Purshottam Das Jalota
Shri Purshottam Das Jalota was born on 9thSeptember 1925 at Phagwara,
Punjab. He learnt Hindustani Classical Music from Master Ratan of Sham Chaurasi Gharana for twelve years. At the age of twenty four he shifted to Lucknow and started his professional career. He achieved high acclaim as well as great popularity as a Classical Singer.
Being deeply interested in philosophical and spiritual literature he gradually shifted to singing Bhajans and set to tune hundreds of Bhajans of the Saint Poets of India, based on Raagdari Sangeet. He believed that this would serve the dual purpose of propagating our rich cultural heritage as well as popularising classical music among the masses.
He has sung in all the major music conferences and has toured extensively in India and abroad giving thousands of Bhajan concerts. He has recorded a number of Bhajan Album
& CD’s.
List of Awards & Titles :
- “Acharya” and “Sangeet Shiromani” by Kanpur Lalit Kala Vidyapeeth.
- “Sur Puraskar” by Surdas Academy, Agra.
- “Raseshwar” by Sur Singar Samsad, Mumbai.
- “Bhajan Samrat” by All India Hindu Mahasabha.
- “Rashtra Bhushan” by Vishwa Jagriti Sanstha,New Delhi.
- He was honoured by being presented the key of the city of Chicago, U.S.A. by the Mayor of Chicago.
- He was made an honorary citizen of Baltimore, U.S.A. by the Mayor of Baltimore.
- In the earlier days Bhajan singing was restricted to temples, religious ceremonies and groups of old people. To him goes the credit for establishing Bhajan singing as a form of musical performance on the concert platform.
- Over the years he has trained hundreds of students in Bhajan singing, the most well known of them being his son Anup Jalota, who is carrying on and furthering his pioneering work.
- It is his great contribution that to the common man he offers the treasures of devotional literature with the message of love, devotion, faith, tolerance and peace through the devine medium of music.
- Government of India honored him with PADMASHRI AWARD in the year 2004
handed over to him by our hon’ble Rashtrapati Shri. APJ ABDUL KALAM.