Ms. Rekha Surya gave a melodious rendition of Hindustani light classical music at a concert titled Romancing the Divine, at the IIIT campus on Tuesday 29th October 2013. The concert has been jointly organized by the University of Hyderabad (UoH) and the IIIT. Students, faculty, staff and some music enthusiasts from the city attended the programme.
Rekha Surya who is trained under the legendary singer Begum Akhtar and also under Girija Devi is a recipient of Karamveer Paruskar 2012 for singing Sufi poetry in Thumri-Dadra style. In the almost 90 minutes concert at IIIT, she sang Thumri, Dadra, Ghazal and Sufi Kalaam which kept the audience spell-bound and wanting for more. Her songs for the concert were. Sundar Sari Mori Maike Me Mail Bhayi, Ka Leke Jaibe Gavanwa…..; Chhap Tilak Sab Chhini Re Mose Naina Mila Ke; 15th Century Kabir Bhav composition .Andhad Dhun Jo Bajee Wohi Sune To Kya Hua; Khushro and Mirabai combination…Shyam Piya Mori Rang De Chunariya; Composition by Tulasi Saheb of Hathras…Apne Me Aap Jalwaye Dildar Dekhna; Khushro (Thumri Dhadra Style) Koyal Bole Bar Bar, E Ri Sakhi Ab Piya Ghar Aayi.
Rekha Surya is from Lucknow and now lives in New Delhi. She recorded for the Archives of Sangeet Natak Akademi in 1994. An A Grade Artist from All India Radio, in the Established Artist empanelment-category with ICCR, she is recognized for keeping alive traditional Ghazal-Gayaki. Having been featured twice by BBC London, her booklet “Sung in a Certain Style” is published by both Sangeet Research Academy and Niyogi Books.
A reputed artist in India, Rekha Surya has been invited to sing by the Smithsonian Institution Washington DC, Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, Cornell University, MIT with International Hindi Association Boston, Columbia University, Yale University, World Music Institute, Harvard University, University of Toronto, Nehru Centre London, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan London. She represented India at the Asian Music Festival Sri Lanka in 1999 and at the International Falak Festival Tajikistan in 2006.
