The 13th edition of the Sur Jyotsna National Music Awards, held in New Delhi, honoured Hindustani vocalists Sumitra Guha and Pandit Laxman Krishnarao Pandit for their contribution to Indian classical music; the awards were instituted in memory of Jyotsna Darda, founder of Lokmat Sakhi Manch.
सुर ज्योत्स्ना राष्ट्रीय संगीत पुरस्कारों का 13वाँ संस्करण नई दिल्ली में आयोजित हुआ; हिंदुस्तानी गायिकाएँ सुमित्रा गुहा एवं पंडित लक्ष्मण कृष्णराव पंडित को भारतीय शास्त्रीय संगीत में योगदान के लिए सम्मानित किया गया; यह पुरस्कार लोकमत सखी मंच की संस्थापक ज्योत्स्ना दर्डा की स्मृति में स्थापित किए गए।
Why in News
The 13th edition of the Sur Jyotsna National Music Awards was held at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi, honouring renowned Hindustani classical vocalists Sumitra Guha and Pandit Laxman Krishnarao Pandit. The awards were instituted in memory of Jyotsna Darda, founder of Lokmat Sakhi Manch, by the Lokmat Media Group, to recognise excellence in Indian classical music and encourage emerging talent across vocal and instrumental categories. The 2026 ceremony was presented by Supreme Court judge Justice Sandeep Mehta, and featured opening and closing performances by Kailash Kher and his band Kailasa Live. Among the attendees were Union ministers Ramdas Athawale, Shripad Naik, and S P Singh Baghel, along with former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. Vijay Darda, Chairman of the Lokmat Media Group Editorial Board, spoke on the spiritual and emotional power of Indian classical music. This year's awards were organised across nine cities — Nagpur, Yavatmal, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Kolhapur, Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and New Delhi — reflecting the platform's effort to take classical music beyond metropolitan centres. Indian classical music has two principal traditions — Hindustani (North Indian) and Carnatic (South Indian) — and is recognised by UNESCO frameworks for intangible cultural heritage.
At a Glance
- Awards
- 13th edition of the Sur Jyotsna National Music Awards
- Honourees (2026)
- Sumitra Guha and Pandit Laxman Krishnarao Pandit (Hindustani classical vocalists)
- Instituted by
- Lokmat Media Group, in memory of Jyotsna Darda (founder of Lokmat Sakhi Manch)
- Venue
- Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi
- Presented by
- Justice Sandeep Mehta, Supreme Court of India
- Performances
- Kailash Kher with Kailasa Live (opening and closing)
- Cities covered
- 9 cities — Nagpur, Yavatmal, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Kolhapur, Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, New Delhi
The 13th edition of the Sur Jyotsna National Music Awards was held at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi. The 2026 honourees were Hindustani classical vocalists Sumitra Guha and Pandit Laxman Krishnarao Pandit. The awards were instituted by Lokmat Media Group in memory of Jyotsna Darda, founder of Lokmat Sakhi Manch, to recognise excellence in Indian classical music and support emerging talent across vocal and instrumental categories. The ceremony was presented by Supreme Court judge Justice Sandeep Mehta, and featured Kailash Kher and his band Kailasa Live for opening and closing performances. Attendees included Union ministers Ramdas Athawale, Shripad Naik, and S P Singh Baghel, alongside former J&K Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. Vijay Darda, Chairman of the Lokmat Media Group Editorial Board, addressed the gathering on the role of classical music in Indian cultural life. The awards were organised across nine cities — Nagpur, Yavatmal, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Kolhapur, Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and New Delhi — extending classical music outreach beyond metropolitan centres. Background on Indian classical music: Indian classical music has two principal traditions — Hindustani (North Indian) and Carnatic (South Indian); both are based on the raga and tala systems but diverged after the medieval period, with Hindustani absorbing Persian and Central Asian influences and Carnatic preserving older devotional and theoretical structures (Sangita Ratnakara of Sarngadeva, 13th century, is foundational). Vedic chanting was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (2008); India has 15 ICH inscriptions in total, including Kutiyattam Sanskrit theatre (2008), Ramlila (2008), Ramman (2009), Mudiyettu (2010), Kalbelia folk songs and dances (2010), Chhau dance (2010), Buddhist chanting of Ladakh (2012), Sankirtana of Manipur (2013), traditional brass and copper craft of Punjab (Thatheras, 2014), Yoga (2016), Kumbh Mela (2017), Durga Puja in Kolkata (2021), and Garba of Gujarat (2023). Kailash Kher is known for blending Indian folk, Sufi, and contemporary music; the Dr Ambedkar International Centre is a major conference and cultural venue in New Delhi managed by the Dr Ambedkar Foundation.
सुर ज्योत्स्ना राष्ट्रीय संगीत पुरस्कारों का 13वाँ संस्करण = डॉ. अंबेडकर अंतर्राष्ट्रीय केंद्र, नई दिल्ली में आयोजित। 2026 के सम्मानित = हिंदुस्तानी गायिकाएँ सुमित्रा गुहा एवं पंडित लक्ष्मण कृष्णराव पंडित। आयोजक = लोकमत मीडिया समूह; ज्योत्स्ना दर्डा (लोकमत सखी मंच की संस्थापक) की स्मृति में स्थापित। प्रस्तोता = सर्वोच्च न्यायालय न्यायाधीश न्यायमूर्ति संदीप मेहता। प्रदर्शन = कैलाश खेर एवं कैलासा लाइव। अतिथि = केंद्रीय मंत्री रामदास आठवले, श्रीपद नाइक, एस पी सिंह बघेल; पूर्व जम्मू-कश्मीर मुख्यमंत्री ग़ुलाम नबी आज़ाद। अध्यक्षता वक्तव्य = विजय दर्डा (लोकमत मीडिया समूह संपादकीय बोर्ड चेयरमैन)। आयोजन = नौ शहर — नागपुर, यवतमाल, नासिक, छत्रपति संभाजीनगर, कोल्हापुर, पुणे, मुंबई, बेंगलुरु, नई दिल्ली। भारतीय शास्त्रीय संगीत की दो प्रमुख परंपराएँ = हिंदुस्तानी (उत्तर भारतीय) एवं कर्नाटक (दक्षिण भारतीय); राग एवं ताल पर आधारित। UNESCO अमूर्त सांस्कृतिक विरासत में भारत के 15 अंकन — वैदिक मंत्रोच्चार (2008), कुटियाट्टम संस्कृत रंगमंच (2008), रामलीला (2008), रम्मण (2009), मुडियेट्टू (2010), कालबेलिया (2010), छऊ नृत्य (2010), लद्दाख का बौद्ध मंत्र-वाचन (2012), मणिपुर का संकीर्तन (2013), पंजाब के ठठेरा (2014), योग (2016), कुंभ मेला (2017), कोलकाता दुर्गा पूजा (2021), गुजरात का गरबा (2023)।
Static GK
- •Hindustani vs Carnatic: Hindustani is the North Indian classical tradition (absorbed Persian and Central Asian influences after the medieval period); Carnatic is the South Indian classical tradition (more devotional, preserved older theoretical structures); both rest on the raga and tala system
- •Sangita Ratnakara: Foundational Sanskrit treatise on Indian music by Sarngadeva, 13th century; pre-dates the Hindustani-Carnatic split; references both traditions
- •UNESCO ICH inscriptions from India: India has 15 elements on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (as of 2023), most recently Garba of Gujarat (2023) and Kolkata Durga Puja (2021)
- •Hindustani gharanas: Major vocal gharanas include Gwalior, Agra, Jaipur-Atrauli, Kirana, Patiala, Bhendibazaar, and Mewati; major instrumental traditions cover sitar, sarod, sarangi, tabla
- •Carnatic Trinity: Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, and Syama Sastri — the three foundational composer-saints of Carnatic music; lived in the 18th-19th centuries
- •Lokmat Media Group: Indian media conglomerate founded in 1971; publishes Lokmat (Marathi daily); chairman Vijay Darda; Lokmat Sakhi Manch is its women's-empowerment platform founded by Jyotsna Darda
- •Dr Ambedkar International Centre: Major conference and cultural venue in New Delhi; managed by the Dr Ambedkar Foundation under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment; inaugurated 2018
- •Kailash Kher: Indian playback and folk-Sufi singer; known for blending Indian folk, Sufi, and contemporary music; band 'Kailasa'; Padma Shri 2017
- •Sumitra Guha: Indian Hindustani classical vocalist; trained in both Hindustani and Carnatic traditions; Padma Shri 2010
- •Pandit Laxman Krishnarao Pandit: Hindustani classical vocalist of the Gwalior gharana; carrier of one of the oldest gharana traditions; Padma Shri
Timeline
- 13th centurySangita Ratnakara of Sarngadeva — foundational Sanskrit treatise on Indian music
- 1971Lokmat Media Group founded
- 2008Vedic chanting, Kutiyattam Sanskrit theatre, and Ramlila inscribed on UNESCO ICH list
- 2018Dr Ambedkar International Centre inaugurated in New Delhi
- 2023Garba of Gujarat inscribed on UNESCO ICH list (15th Indian element)
- 202613th edition of Sur Jyotsna National Music Awards honours Sumitra Guha and Pandit Laxman Krishnarao Pandit
- →Sur Jyotsna National Music Awards = 13th edition (2026)
- →Honourees = Sumitra Guha + Pandit Laxman Krishnarao Pandit (both Hindustani vocalists)
- →Venue = Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi
- →Instituted by Lokmat Media Group in memory of Jyotsna Darda (founder, Lokmat Sakhi Manch)
- →Presented by Justice Sandeep Mehta of the Supreme Court
- →Performances = Kailash Kher with Kailasa Live (opening and closing)
- →Organised across 9 cities (Nagpur, Yavatmal, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Kolhapur, Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, New Delhi)
- →Hindustani = North Indian tradition; Carnatic = South Indian tradition
- →Sangita Ratnakara (13th century, Sarngadeva) = foundational Sanskrit music treatise
- →Carnatic Trinity = Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, Syama Sastri
- →India has 15 UNESCO ICH inscriptions; Garba (2023) is the latest
Exam Angles
The 13th edition of the Sur Jyotsna National Music Awards, held at Dr Ambedkar International Centre New Delhi, honoured Hindustani classical vocalists Sumitra Guha and Pandit Laxman Krishnarao Pandit; the awards were instituted by Lokmat Media Group in memory of Jyotsna Darda (founder of Lokmat Sakhi Manch); ceremony presented by Justice Sandeep Mehta of the Supreme Court, with performances by Kailash Kher and Kailasa Live; this year organised across 9 cities — Nagpur, Yavatmal, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Kolhapur, Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and New Delhi.
Q1. The 13th edition of the Sur Jyotsna National Music Awards (2026) honoured which two Hindustani classical vocalists?
- A.Pandit Jasraj and M.S. Subbulakshmi
- B.Sumitra Guha and Pandit Laxman Krishnarao Pandit
- C.Bhimsen Joshi and Kishori Amonkar
- D.Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle
tap to reveal answer
Answer: B. Sumitra Guha and Pandit Laxman Krishnarao Pandit
The 13th edition of the Sur Jyotsna National Music Awards honoured Sumitra Guha and Pandit Laxman Krishnarao Pandit, both Hindustani classical vocalists. Pandit Laxman Krishnarao Pandit is associated with the Gwalior gharana, one of the oldest gharanas of Hindustani vocal music.
Q2. The Sur Jyotsna National Music Awards were instituted in memory of which person?
- A.Lata Mangeshkar
- B.Jyotsna Darda, founder of Lokmat Sakhi Manch
- C.M.S. Subbulakshmi
- D.Begum Akhtar
tap to reveal answer
Answer: B. Jyotsna Darda, founder of Lokmat Sakhi Manch
The awards were instituted by Lokmat Media Group in memory of Jyotsna Darda, the founder of Lokmat Sakhi Manch (a women-focused platform of the Lokmat Group). Vijay Darda, Chairman of the Lokmat Media Group Editorial Board, spoke at the 2026 ceremony.
Common Confusions
- Trap · Sur Jyotsna edition number
Correct: 13th edition in 2026; not 10th and not 25th
- Trap · Awards venue
Correct: Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi (managed by Dr Ambedkar Foundation under Ministry of Social Justice); not Vigyan Bhawan and not Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts
- Trap · Hindustani vs Carnatic tradition
Correct: Hindustani = North Indian; Carnatic = South Indian; both honourees in 2026 are Hindustani vocalists
- Trap · Lokmat Sakhi Manch founder
Correct: Jyotsna Darda — the awards are named in her memory; Vijay Darda is the current Chairman of the Lokmat Media Group Editorial Board
- Trap · Carnatic Trinity composers
Correct: Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, and Syama Sastri — the three foundational composer-saints of Carnatic music; do not confuse with Hindustani gharana founders
- Trap · Most recent UNESCO ICH inscription from India
Correct: Garba of Gujarat — inscribed in 2023; India has 15 ICH inscriptions in total