'I am overwhelmed': Maithili Thakur after her selection for Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar

Singer Maithili Thakur said the Ustad Bismillah Khan Puraskar award has given her impetus to spread Bihar's folk music. Thakur was selected for the prestigious Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar of the Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) for her contribution to folk music of Bihar for the year 2021.

"I am overwhelmed. I am thankful to jury members who thought it fit to give me this award... I am overwhelmed with this announcement", said Thakur, who sings song with folk blending.

Talking to PTI, a day after the announcement of Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, she said, "This award bestows a bigger responsibility on me. At the same time this recognition gives me more impetus to spread Bihar's folk music across continents".

She said, "This success has a lot of people behind it, especially those who motivated me. I am thankful to my family members, especially my father and mother, who have been supporting and inspiring me to follow my passion. I also express my gratitude to the jury members for honouring my work, my family members and people of my state." Thakur said the Bihar government has decided to make her the 'brand ambassador' for Khadi and other handicrafts of the state.

"The state government has decided to make me brand ambassador for Khadi. A formal announcement in this regard will be made either on Monday or Tuesday in Patna", she said.

Thakur born in Benipatti in Madhubani district in Bihar was trained by her grandfather and father in Maithili folk, Hindustani classical music. "Whatever I am today, is because of my father and mother," she said. Thakur sings traditional folk songs of Bihar in Maithili, Bhojpuri and Hindi.

The Sangeet Natak Akademi, the National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama in the meeting of its General Council held from November 6 to November 8 in the national capital selected 102 (including three joint Awards) artists of India who have made a mark as young talents in their respective fields of performing arts for the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for the years 2019, 2020 & 2021.

The award is given to artists below the age of 40 years. The award carries a purse money of Rs 25,000.