About: Kanwal

Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa: Born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley, Gilberto Hinojosa attended public schools and was the first in his family to graduate from college. He received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. Returning to Texas, he became the managing attorney for the Brownsville office of Texas Rural Legal Aid.

Governor Ann Richards appointed Gilberto to the Texas Board of Criminal Justice, overseeing the Texas prison and parole system. He has served his fellow Texans as a county, district court, and court of appeals judge in both appointed and elected capacities. Gilberto is currently in private practice in Brownsville. Since 2012, Gilberto has served as the chair of the Texas Democratic Party.

Today, we discuss with  Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa about the start of early voting in the March 5th Primary and measures that Texas Democrats have taken to recruit and assist candidates, increase turnout, and support Texas voters. In case you missed it earlier, do listen- in to this conversation, on our Show, on 3rd and 4th March on MeraSangeet Gold at 2:00 PM EST and on MeraSangeet USA at 5:00 PM – EST

Pankaj Udhas Sahaab — You have left a huge void today –  too soon and sudden, this will take a long time to sink in – May your soul rest in peace.

Pankaj Udhas is a very popular Indian ghazal and playback singer. After his success as a ghazal singer, he was invited to appear and sing for a film by Mahesh Bhatt, Naam. He did playback singing for many Hindi films after that. In 2006, Pankaj Udhas was awarded Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award. Courtesy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pankaj_Udhas

On the show, Pankaj Udhas talks about his growing-up days, about his father, his brothers – how music just became his first love, home, and much much more. This conversation was recorded many many years back but is as fresh as today – So know your favorite singer, and hear him talk about so many memories – as he does so, he also sings along – and we also play many many of his super hit nos.

The date and time to save is – our show, From our Archives, today, 26th February, on MeraSangeet Gold at 2:00 PM EST and MeraSangeet USA at 5:00 PM – EST

Sunayana Kachroo has written for various award-winning movies, which have been screened at many prestigious film festivals like Cannes, MAMI and Austin Film Festival.

Sunayana expresses herself through diverse styles of writing in English, Hindi and Kashmiri language. She continues to explore various themes ranging from Love, Home, Loss, Nature, Mythology, Healing, Women’s empowerment, Prejudices and much more.

She has performed across the world through Poetry shows and recitations. Sunayana engages the audience with her unique style of expressing poems as compelling visual images, laced with observations and anecdotes.

On our show today, she talks about the Memorial Concert at Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall, on 2nd March 2024, in honor of Ustad Vilayat Khan’s 20th Anniversary, which is being presented by Sneh Arts.

Do listen- in to this conversation, on our Show, Saat Samundar Paar, on MeraSangeet Gold, today – 22nd February, at 9:00AM,1:00 PM,5:00 PM and 9:00 PM – EST. You can also catch the interview on MeraSangeet East at 11:00 AM and 6:00 PM – EST

A direct descendant and proponent of one of the most treasured lineages of eastern classical music, sitarist Hidayat Husain Khan is the youngest son of the legendary Ustad Vilayat Khan, globally acclaimed as the greatest of all sitarists,

Hidayat Husain Khan harbors a rare, creative brilliance that effortlessly takes him across all genres and nuances of music. An exquisite sitar player and vocalist well-versed in the ‘Gayaki ang’.

Hidayat Husain Khan has lent his versatility in several film score compositions and has performed in numerous classical and fusion concerts, independently and in collaboration with such illustrious musical names as, Ndugu Chancler, Ronnie Woods, Alicia Keys, Usher, Zakir Hussain, Pete Townshend, Will.I.Am, Jay Z and Darryl Jones.

Today, we take a journey back to his childhood days, of first picking up the sitar to mastering it, and much more about Indian Classical Music. We also talk about  the Memorial Concert at Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall, on 2nd March 2024, in honor of Ustad Vilayat Khan’s 20th Anniversary,  which is being presented by Sneh Arts. Do listen- in to this conversation, on our Show, Saat Samundar Paar, on MeraSangeet Gold, today – 21st February, at 9:00AM,1:00 PM,5:00 PM and 9:00 PM – EST. You can also catch the interview on MeraSangeet East at 11:00 AM and 6:00 PM – EST

Nida Fazli, was a prominent Indian Hindi and Urdu poet, lyricist and dialogue writer. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2013 by the government of India for his contribution to literature.

He was honored with the National Harmony Award for writing on communal harmony. He wrote 24 books in Urdu, Hindi and Gujarati. Some of his works are also present in National Council of Educational Research and Training Hindi textbooks which millions of students study. He received the Mir Taqi Mir award for his autobiographical novel Deewaron Ke Bich from the Government of Madhya Pradesh. Courtesy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nida_Fazli

Today, we get a chance to relive some moments with Nida Fazli Sahaab – each word of this conversation is poetic – taking the listener through a high through our very own languages, Hindi and Urdu – weaved into each other, so beautifully. Catch the conversation, recorded many years back, today, 20th February, on our Hindi Radio Show, From our Archives, on MeraSangeet Gold at 2:00 PM EST and on MeraSangeet USA at 5:00 PM – EST

Chandan Dass is a popular Indian ghazal singer. He has many albums to his credit and some very unforgettable Ghazals.

On the show, recorded many years back, Chandan Dass ji talks about his journey, of being introduced to a well known Indian record company by Talat Aziz ji. He also talks about his many albums, his ghazals, of his many live performances, and so much more. We also talk about his family.

So listen – in for sure, to this wonderful conversation and some beautiful ghazals, rendered by Chandan Dass, as we rewind the clock and go down memory lane, today 11th February, on our Hindi Radio Show, From our Archives, on MeraSangeet Gold at 2:00 PM EST and on MeraSangeet USA at 5:00 PM – EST

Lata Mangeshkar, a name so familiar, so much our own, a name which reached the greatest of heights, attained so much glory and fame, and yet remained so humble, so grounded. Yes, I could feel all this and the simplicity of this great personality, India’s greatest singer and a legend…

We all have heard that Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru had cried when he heard Lata Mangeshkar sing, “Ae Mere Watan ke logo”, when and where did this happen, Lata didi shared those memorable moments. She took us back to the days when she worked along with other legendary singers– Mohd Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh…some nostalgic moments, some which brought a smile, and all through this, you could feel her simplicity and her greatness.

This was way back, it seems, but this conversation will always remain fresh – showing the simplicity of a person who attained the greatest of heights – do listen – in, for the rebroadcast, with the Nightingale of India, the Queen of Melody, on our show, From our Archives, today, 6th February – which marks as the day she left us – on MeraSangeet Gold at 2:00 PM EST and on MeraSangeet USA at 5:00 PM – EST.

Ballimaaraan – The Piyush Mishra Project is a live concert with a full band. It is a musical homage to the doyen of Urdu poetry, Mirza Ghalib. The band’s genre-bending music is a fusion of retro with contemporary tunes and has a youthful, rebellious vibe. Ghalib spent his last 10 years of life in a haveli on Ballimaaraan lane in Old Delhi near Chawri Bazaar, close to Chandni Chowk. Mishra derived the name of his show from there. Known for its powerful and free-flowing lyrics, the music feels like an engaging conversation. Since its inception in 2016, songs like Aarambh, Husna, Ghar and many others have become popular among the youth.

Piyush Mishra is known for his effortless performances in movies like Tamasha, Gangs of Wasseypur and others. Witness an enigmatic and energetic celebration in the first-ever US tour of Piyush Mishra’s Ballimaaraan.

The tickets for the show are available for purchase at Parashare.com

The 75th Republic Day of India was celebrated at the Consulate General of India, New York with a flag hoisting ceremony on Thursday, January 26th, 2024. Consul General Mr. Binaya Srikanta Pradhan unfurled the national flag. Over 150 members of the Indian American community and friends of India joined as the national anthem was sung. The Consul General then read out the Address of the President of India which she had delivered on the eve of India’s Republic Day. A short cultural program of patriotic songs was presented by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, USA. A large number of members of the Indian diaspora and friends of India participated in the celebration filling the hall with patriotic fervor. New Jersey State Senator, Mr. Raj Mukherji graced the occasion with his presence and spoke about the strong US-India partnership. Artists from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan presented Patriotic songs. The event was webcast live through the Consulate’s social media platforms.

In the evening, the Consul General hosted a reception that was attended by prominent members of the diaspora, elected officials, members of the diplomatic corps, friends from the media, and people from different walks of life. Among the esteemed guests were Congressman Michael Lawler, Mayor of Edison Township Mr. Sam Joshi, and senior diplomats and officers from the NYC Mayor’s office and NY State Governor’s office.Video messages conveying congratulations on the 75th Republic Day were played by notable figures, including New York State Governor Ms. Kathy Hochul, Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, among other dignitaries.

The program included a video showcasing the Consulate’s activities across the ten states in the northeast U.S. The event also saw vibrant cultural performances from young but very talented artist, Ms. Maheshwari Jagabattula and a captivating performance from Grammy award winner, Ms. Falu Shah. Guests were then treated to a delightful Indian dinner, featuring a diverse array of regional cuisines from various parts of India. The celebration embodied the spirit of unity, diversity, and shared heritage, marking a memorable Republic Day for all in attendance. New York 29 January 2024

Parikshit Sahni is one of India’s finest actors. He is the son of actor Balraj Sahni and nephew of writer Bhisham Sahni.

Parikshit Sahni is known for playing the lead in the TV series Barrister Vinod, Gul Gulshan Gulfaam (Doordarshan), and Gaatha (Star Plus). He has also appeared in three of Rajkumar Hirani’s blockbuster films Lage Raho Munna Bhai, 3 Idiots, and PK. He starred in the classic Punjabi film Marhi Da Diva (1989), with Raj Babbar, Pankaj Kapur, Kanwaljit Singh, and Deepti Naval. He played a remarkable role in the Hindi film Pavitra Paapi (1970) which was based on a Punjabi novel by Nanak Singh (a famous novelist). Pavitra Paapi also featured his real-life father, Balraj Sahni in a pivotal role. Courtesy https://merasangeet.com/page/2/

Do listen – in this conversation, recorded many years back – yet again today, 29th January, on our show, From our Archives, on MeraSangeet Gold at 2:00 PM EST and on MeraSangeet USA at 5:00 PM – EST