Kotdwar, Jan 26 (PTI) Madhuri Barthwal, who has been conferred with a Padma Shri for her distinguished work in the field of art and music, on Wednesday said it is a reward for a lifetime of her hard work.
“I was very happy when I came to know that I am being honoured with the Padma Shri. I felt my hard work of all these years has finally been rewarded,” Barthwal told PTI in an exclusive interview.
“Music has the power to bind the entire human race in the thread of unity. Neither caste nor any religion is seen on the stage of music,” she said.
Her research on the use of Indian classical ragas in the folk tunes of Garhwal has been published and earned much acclaim.
She also wrote five books on Garhwali folk music during the prolonged Covid lockdown.
Barthwal was honoured with several awards in the past including President’s Award in 2018, “Nari Shakti Puraskar 2018”, Uttarakhand Ratna in 2014 and Uttarakhand Bhushan in 2010.
She was born on June 10, 1950 in the house of Pandit Chandra Mani Uniyal in Chai Damrada village of Yamkeshwar block of Puri district.
Her elementary education took place in the village and Lansdowne (Pauri Garhwal).
After receiving higher education from Agra and Rohelkhand University, she studied music from Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Prayagraj and Agra. After taking music lessons, she decided to devote all her time to folk music and came back to Lansdowne.
After coming to Lansdowne, as a music teacher from 1969 to 1979, got a government job in RBA College, Lansdowne.
In 1979, she was selected as the music coordinator in All India Radio, Najibabad under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
From then till 2010, she worked continuously in that position.
Madhuri Barthwal also got the distinction of being the first woman to be selected for this post of all-India level.
During her stint with the AIR, she patronized hundreds of Garhwali, Kumaoni, Jaunsari and Ruhalkhandi songs besides mentoring many artists.
She has given new energy and identity to folk songs in her research work titled “Raag Raganiya in Garhwali folk songs” which explains how the Indian classical ragas have been incorporated into Garhwali folk songs.
Associated with the Department of Culture, Information Department, Geetnataka Akademi, a government of India wing at Dehradun, Barthwal is working as a music art specialist in many universities. PTI CORR ALM RAX RAX
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.