GUWAHATI, Oct 3: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu conferred the “Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Award for National Integration and National Contribution 2021” to multi-genre choir, Shillong Chamber Choir along with the Assam branch of Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust, writer Nirod Kumar Baruah here on Sunday evening.
The award, which is one of the biggest civilian awards of Assam, carries a citation and a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh.
Lauding the contributions of Assam’s first chief minister, Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi, Vice President Naidu said that he was truly “Lokapriya” (popular), soft spoken, gentle, mild mannered, committed to truth and had a statesman-like personality with a transcendental appeal across communities.”
“Lokapriya Bordoloi ji was a multi-dimensional figure with outstanding accomplishments, for which he was aptly conferred the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1999. Till this day, he occupies a revered place in the hearts of the people of Assam and the country,” Naidu said.
“I take this opportunity to convey my congratulations to the recipients of the award,” he added.
Commending the performances of Shillong Chamber Choir over the past two decades to the cause of national integration, the Vice-President said that the “Music like this is going to be very helpful in arousing the passion of the country for national integration…All of us should think that we are Indians first, irrespective of caste, creed, language and religion….a national feeling has to be created.”
Founded in 2001 by founder, mentor and conductor of the choir Neil Nongkynrih, Shillong Chamber Choir’s repertoire includes works of western classical music, including Handel, Bach, Gershwin and Mozart, from hits by rock group Queen, and Khasi folk songs and opera.
Over the years it has performed in Britain, Poland, Switzerland, Sri Lanka, Italy and the Indian cities of Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai and Guwahati.
The choir had won the reality TV show, India’s Got Talent in 2010. The same year also saw the choir being awarded three gold awards at the 6th World Choir Games for Musica Sacra, Gospel and Popular Music.
It also performed at the Rashtrapati Bhavan for visiting US President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, during their state visit to India in 2010.
The choir’s versatility ranges from performances with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra and the Fitz William Quartet to collaborations with icons like Amitabh Bachchan for the opening of Kaun Banega Crorepati (Season 6).
“It is a historic day today. This award is one of the biggest civilian awards of the state. It is bestowed upon the institutions and individuals from diverse fields in honour of their exemplary contributions towards national integration. Another important aspect of this award is that it is named after one of the greatest sons of the country,” Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
Lauding the performances of the choir, Sarma said, “The choir will always be remembered in Assam for their rendering of the state anthem, “O Mor Apunar Desh” in the opening performance of the 12th South Asian Games in 2016 here “which was really beautiful and awesome.”
The Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust has been working for rural women and children since January 9, 1946, when Mahatma Gandhi visited Assam and set up the trust in Guwahati.
Now based in Germany, Dr Nirod Kumar Baruah had his masters in History and Political Science from Kashi Hindu University and M Phil from Bonn University in Germany. He has many books on Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi to his credit.