Eminent music composer Ashok Patki was conferred with the prestigious ‘Sangeet Ratna Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his outstanding achievements in the field of non-film music.
PUNE: “Independent music allows artists to express themselves freely. Therefore, Independent Marathi non-filmy music should be acknowledged as a startup and receive financial aid similar to Marathi films,” noted singer Vaishali Samant. She was speaking at the first-ever Marathi Indie Music Awards (MIMA) recently. The program was organized by Maharashtra Kala Manch and Just Collab, with Ajay Naik and Kaustubh Dabadage at the helm.
Eminent music composer Ashok Patki was honored with the ‘Sangeet Ratna’ Lifetime Achievement Award for his remarkable contributions to non-film music at the hands of Prasad Lad, Member of Legislative Council, State Government. The program was held at the Shakuntala Shetty Auditorium, Erandwane, Pune
“If Independent Marathi non-filmy music receives government financial aid, it will spread globally,” said Vaishali Samant. “We are passionate travelers in the world of music. This award has given us all a small shore to stand on today, and that’s a comforting feeling. The fact that our hard work is getting a platform is reassuring,” she added.
We will organize the next MIMA program in Mumbai, and I will ensure the Chief Minister’s attendance, Prasad Lad assured. He further stated, “Following Marathi’s recognition as a classical language, there’s been a surge in Marathi-related activities. In this context, we will submit a proposal to the Chief Minister within 20 days, seeking subsidies for Independent Marathi non-filmy music under Ashok Patki’s guidance.”
Ashok Patki reminisced about the song ‘Radha Hi Bawari’, saying, “Initially, the lyrics were different. Swapnil Bandodkar didn’t like it. He called me insisting I write the song. I tried to explain I’m a composer, not a lyricist, but he persisted. That night, the tune came to me, and I wrote the song.” Patki chuckled, ” ‘Radha Hi Bawari’ gave me the confidence to write songs.”
“In today’s era, education is readily available everywhere. However, values and cultural heritage are lacking. We learned music from renowned artists, but Ashok Patki sir instilled values in us beyond just education. These values remain with me today. One important value is passing on what we’ve learned to the next generation,” said Avadhoot Gupte, while accepting the award.
“We’ve been in this industry for over 25 years, but there wasn’t an award specifically for indie music. This initiative marks the beginning of a new journey for non-film music, and it will inspire and motivate the new generation of music composers and lyricists,” said Swapnil Bandodkar.
Noted singers-composers Avadhoot Gupte, Vaishali Samant, and Swapnil Bandodkar were honored with the ‘Marathi Indie Music Icon’ award. Additionally, Pt. Raghunandan Panshikar, Anand Bhate, and Pt. Sanjeev Abhyankar received awards for Best Classical Vocalist, while Jeevan Dharmanandhari and Vivek Kajvekar were recognized for Music Arrangement.
Additionally, ‘Gaarva’ was recognized as the First Iconic Marathi Indie Song, honoring poet Saumitra and composer Milind Ingle. Also, ‘Aayushyavar Bolu Kahi’ was awarded the First Iconic Indie Marathi Show, recognizing composer-singer duo Sandeep Khare and Salil Kulkarni.
