New Delhi: President of India Droupadi Murmu conferred Padma Shri to Ghulam Muhammad Zaz of J&K at a Civil Investiture Ceremony here Wednesday.
An official spokesman in a statement issued here said that Zaz had been conferred Padma Shri in the field of Arts.
Zaz, manufacturer of handmade musical instruments like Sitaar, Rabab, Tawoos, and Santoor, is widely recognised across the country and overseas for his role in manufacturing quality musical instruments, especially Santoor.
Born on January 1, 1948, Zaz had an inclination towards musical instruments in his childhood and used to watch his grandfather Rehman Joo Zaz, father Abdul Ahad Zaz, and uncle Ghulam Rasool Zaz manufacturing musical instruments and by that time started working with them besides his schooling.
Zaz family was well recognised at the time of Maharaja’s rule and some of the musical instruments manufactured by them are still displayed in the museum of Srinagar.
Besides Kashmiri musical instruments like Sitar Kashmiri, Santoor Kashmiri, Saazi Kashmiri, Sarang Kashmiri, and Rabab, some Indian Musical instruments like Indian Santoor, Dilruba, Tanpora, and Surbahaar were also manufactured by the Zaz family. The musical instruments manufactured by the Zaz family had amazing tonal qualities, which were relished and played by the elite class of society.
The passion and love for the art of manufacturing musical instruments of Zaz was so much that he declined some good offers of jobs and continued the profession of his forefathers and took their legacy forward.
He gained tremendous experience in his field from his forefathers who were working in the same profession for seven generations.
He is eighth in the line and perhaps the last one as his three daughters have taken the other professions for their livelihood.
Kashmiri Santoor manufactured by Zaz was introduced in Indian classical music and also played in Bollywood by Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma.
The santoor had some extraordinary tonal qualities that no other person could have manufactured such a masterpiece and was played on a lap rather than a table.
Bajan Sopori also played the Santoor manufactured by Zaz.
Zaz has contributed in the field of art of manufacturing quality musical instruments, especially Santoor which has incredible tonal qualities and spreads music of love and peace.