Classical music is sometimes criticised by the rigidities of old traditions.  This instrument and music of Sarod is an example of the adaptation without departing from its original music.  Sarod itself is an example of an instrument which is old and developed in India and respondent to the needs of the time and the genius of all those who played this beautiful instrument.

Amjad Ali Khan's great father looks upon not only as his father but as his Guru, has been a towering figure in the world of Indian Classical music. Chasing its descend from the time of Akbar, from the time of Tansen, it is a musical tradition of an unbroken glory.  We are proud of the fact that from generation to generation this music has evolved has been developed, and I should like to say it has pleased in the music of Amjad Ali Khan.  When I say I do not mean that it will not be improved upon and further developed by his sons whom he has been teaching like a Guru.  When I about, it is impossible to forget his personality.  His personality, his inextricable with music, his charm, his courtesy, his simplicity combined with charisma, has spread joy in the wider in the world.  It has transcended the of nations and cultures and indeed all the prejudices that human kind has built up.  The effect that is unified and harmonised.The contribution by him to the peace and harmony is something which we can.  His literary offering which has been presented today on his birthday is only a very minor collection of joy and happiness he has given us all.

The book itself is an offering like a beautiful flower.  Mr.  Raghava Menon who is one of our music critics and writer, has lavished in knowledge and love in writing this book.  I want to congratulate him for producing this offering to him on this occasion.

I want to congratule the publishers and the Hindustan Times , of course, for organising this felicitation function.  of the book is Smt.  Subbalakshi.  She has herself described that when she married, she did not know that she was marrying a twenty four hour man.  I think we can pretend by saying that Amjad married a twenty four hour woman. In them they combined the rythm of dance and the of music and to develop and together they have to entrust each other and given us this wonderful music of Amjad Ali Khan.

I have had the occasion to know Amjad as a friend for several years. I know that classical music has to play to vast audiences like this.  From the court of emperors and maharajas, it has come to the court of people and how we drainage this transition with originality, that is so much beauty is something remarkable.  It has been said, Mr Raghav Menon says in his book that Indian classical music is intended to be enjoyed by the elite by a small circle that was a tradition and to disseminate it to the large audicences was considered to corrupt its purity, but Amjad Ali Khan by his music has shown that making larger and larger number of people appreciate and enjoy music is not a process of corruption but of enrichment and into the originality  of the music we have to adjust as anything else music also to modern technology.  May be in the process, inclusive something of it intimate character, a kind of private enjoyment by the elite few instead of wide and wide enjoyment by a growing pubic this decent challenge all classical musicians have accepted and done it most successfully and he has contributed so many new ragas to music, ragas like priyadarshini, kamakshini, shabribale. These are departures from the traditional type of music from our time. 

I do not see why music should be exclusively obsessed with only classical themes and classical subjects.  Music can deal with modern subjects because music appeals to the human emotions and also to the intellect and anythying that arouses emotions in people in a fundamental way, anything that excites the intellectual quality of peoples ought to be the subject matter of the music and Amjad Ali Khan by making this transition who has served classical music more than anyone else because if it was to remain, it is the traditional subject matter and the traditional ways only, I think, it would not as appeal to be people as it would be the quality of music.

This is an 125th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, he has to pay Gandhiji is to.  It covers the whole range of his romantic great, tragic life of a hero and it contains his peace message, his humanity, the turbulence and tragedy of his life and the sublime peace of his achievement.  I should like to quote something Gandhiji had said about music because Gandhiji had a keen eye and a keen ear for music and he understood the importance of music in life.  I do not think it is known, amazing is very much known.  ë I have one more quotation which I would like to read out, "It is sad that the study of music is generally neglected in our country today.  Without this the entire educational system seems to be incomplete.  Music brings sweetness to the individual and to the social life of the people. 

It pacifies anger and its judicious use is highly useful leading to man to the vision of God.  Its deeper is that our whole life shall be sweet and musical like a song.  I do not think that no greater tribute to music could be given and this is a tribute which most aptly applies to the music of .  It is more wide by emotion, aspiration of the human being to reach and realise God.  An ideal his great father was placed before him and all musicians of India.

May I on this occasion, offer my warmest congratulations to Ustad Amjad Ali Khan.  He is fifty years young looking younger than that he will delight, inspire and alleviate Indian minds and heart for years and years to come.

He said somewhere that do not oversee the intricasies of music but you only have to listen to music and I can only listen to music and when I listen to music it creates a mood of emotional susceptibility and also the intellectual susceptibility.  While listening to music ideas spring and flow in ones mind, one never knew where these ideas come from.  this is the quality of music.  This is the social function and the individual function that Amjad Ali Khan's music has made socially and it is an emotional, devotional and intellectual experience of the first order to listen to him.  We have by this beautiful book.  But I think even the five minutes of his Sarod would have given us hundred times of offering today on this occasion today.  May I wish you long and happy life together to Subbalakshmi and given us joy and happiness in the years to come 

Thank you