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Bismillah Khan, the shehnai maestro whom Bihar forgot

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By Imran Khan

Dumraon (Bihar): Bharat Ratna shehnai maestro Bismillah Khan’s birth place in this Bihar town is crumbling despite politicians making promises over the years. In this election, it is barely a talking point for candidates.

Politicians have repeatedly made promises to develop Bismillah Khan’s birthplace. But, over nine years after his death, local residents are disappointed with state and the central government’s failure to take concrete steps.

Murli Manohar Srivastava, who has written a book on Bismillah Khan, said it was an irony that promises made to develop the maestro’s birth place remained unfulfilled and were not an issue in the polls.

Bihar is in the midst of staggered five-phased elections. The votes will be counted on November 8.

Bismillah Khan was born Qamruddin at Bhirung Raut Ki Gali in Dumraon, about 15 km from Buxar town. According to locals, Bismillah Khan’s ancestors were court musicians and used to play in Naqqar khana in the princely state of Dumraon. His father was a shehnai player in the court of Maharaja Keshav Prasad Singh of Dumraon.

When he was barely six or seven, Bismillah moved to his maternal grandfather’s home in Varanasi. His uncle, Ali Baksh ‘Vilayatu’, a shehnai player attached to Varanasi’s Kashi Vishwanath Temple, was his guru.

Two Bihar chief ministers and a host of politicians have promised to develop Bismillah Khan’s birthplace in the Dumraon assembly constituency in Buxur district, about 130 km from Patna, but beyond tokenism, there has been nothing concrete on the ground.

Polls campaigning is hotting up in Dumraon, but development of Bismillah Khan’s birthplace is not an election issue for politicians.

“Neither the grand alliance of JD-U, RJD and Congress nor the BJP-led NDA are keen to talk about it…,” said Shailendra Kumar, a local resident.

Lalu Prasad, when he was chief minister, had in 1994 laid the foundation stone of a town hall-cum-library in Bismillah Khan’s memory. In 2006 Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced construction of a museum and installation of a life-size statue after the shehnai masetro’s death in August of that year.

“But nothing has happened so far. It is a pity for all of us,” rued another local resident Sultan Alam.

Even the marble foundation stone that Lalu Prasad laid has been gathering dust at the Dumraon police station for several years.

“As construction was not started due to one reason or the other, the marble plaque was brought here as it could have been stolen or damaged by anti-social elements,” a district police officer said.

BJP legislator and former culture minister Sukhda Pandey, who was denied ticket to contest assembly polls this time, has also left the local residents disappointed.

Alam said: “She had promised to develop Bismillah Khan’s birthplace but forgot about it.”

Lal Muni Choubey of the BJP, who represented Buxar four times before being defeated in 2009 by Jagdanand Singh of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), reluctantly admitted he had done nothing to develop the memorial.

“I have told you earlier and again (I reiterate) that I am sad that Bismillah Khan was not given respect in his home town,” said Choubey, who was denied a BJP ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls in 2014.

Present BJP MP from Buxar Ashwani Kumar Choubey said that Bismillah Khan’s birth place will be developed as a tourist place if the BJP-led NDA comes to power in Bihar after state assembly polls.

Brahmin-dominated Buxar is witnessing a four-cornered contest among incumbent Jagdanand Singh, the BJP’s Ashwani Kumar Choubey, the Janata Dal-United’s Shyam Lal Kushwaha and the Bahujan Samaj Party’s Dadan Yadav.

Some Muslims living near the ancestral house of Bisimillah, where he was born, expressed their unhappiness over its neglect and the double standards of politicians.

“We cannot do anything except express anger and frustration time and again. If Bismillah Khan was born in any other place outside Bihar, it would have developed the house but here, there’s no one to care for it,” said Salim Ansari, who stays near Bismillah Khan’s birthplace.

Another resident, Rahul Mishra, said there is a road named after Bismillah Khan in Varanasi, where he died, but there is nothing in his name at his birthplace. “It is unbelievable but true. Politicians have no interest in developing anything in his memory,” he said.

Daud Ali, who represented Dumraon in the Bihar assembly but was denied the ticket to contest polls from Dumraon by the ruling JU-U, said he had tried his level best to develop it but didn’t succeed.

“We are demanding that land be allotted to build a memorial for Bismillah Khan but it is yet to happen due to the delay on the part of the officials concerned,” he said.

Dadan Yadav, who is contesting as a JD-U candidate from Dumaraon, said he will change the face of Bismillah’s birthplace.

“It is not my promise, it is my resolve. Whether I win or lose the polls,” said Yadav, a former minister.

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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma

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World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.

Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.

During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.

On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”

Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.

It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.

Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.

Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”

On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”

The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.

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