Neeti Gopendra Bhatt

Jaipur. Sur Sangam Sansthan’s 37th National Youth Music Conference will be held in Jaipur on October 1 and 2, 2026, with the aim of discovering and encouraging young musical talent. This year’s event is dedicated to the late K.C. Maloo, the Founder-President of the organization and Veena Music Group, who passed away prematurely due to a heart attack on July 14.

Renowned Ghazal singer Penaz Masani unveiled the poster for the 37th National Youth Music Conference in Jaipur on Sunday. Mukesh Agarwal, National Secretary of Sur Sangam Sansthan, along with the late K.C. Maloo’s son and Managing Director of Veena Music Events, Prasanjit Maloo, were also present on the occasion.

Mukesh Agarwal, the organization's National Secretary, stated that participants from across the country would compete in the genres of light music (*sugam sangeet*) and classical music, with competitions held in both junior and senior categories. He described the Sur Sangam Sansthan platform as a golden opportunity for talent and urged as many promising young people as possible to participate.

He informed that the application process for the competition is online. Interested talents can register by visiting sursangamsansthan.com. The deadline for applications has been set for September 5, 2026. Selected participants will be invited to the grand finale scheduled to take place in Jaipur on October 1 and 2, 2026. Speaking on the occasion, renowned singer Penaz Masani remarked that there is no shortage of young musical talent in the country; the need is simply to identify them, provide proper guidance, and offer a national-level platform. In today's era of auto-tune and digital platforms, recognizing genuine talent is challenging; amidst this, platforms like the Sur Sangam Institute play a vital role in discovering and honing such talent.

She noted that under the guidance of the late K.C. Maloo—founder of the Sur Sangam Institute—the organization has spent the last 37 years identifying, nurturing, and providing a national stage to over two lakh young singers. Through the institute, the duo of the late Mr. Maloo and Mukesh Agarwal has provided opportunities to numerous emerging artists, helping them gain national recognition. There is a need today to further encourage such institutions so that the country's true musical talent can come to the fore. Penaz observed that while many digital platforms organize "talent hunts" across the country, they are often fleeting—like bubbles in water. In contrast, institutions like Sur Sangam have been upholding the *Guru-Shishya* (teacher-disciple) tradition for over three decades, diligently honing talent and providing the right platforms; this approach represents a sustainable path that yields long-lasting results.

On this occasion, Prasanjit Maloo announced that the grand finale would be held at the Bilwa Palace on Tonk Road, Jaipur—a venue offering five-star amenities. Participants selected from across the country will be provided with complimentary five-star facilities—including accommodation and meals—at the venue itself, alongside the opportunity to stay with distinguished music mentors.

He further mentioned that renowned personalities from Bollywood and the music industry would travel from Mumbai to Jaipur to serve as judges for the competition. Key figures among them include Penaz Masani, acclaimed music composer Sohail Sen, composer Deepak Pandit, famous singer Pratibha Baghel, and popular singer Raja Hasan.

Maloo urged young musical talent across the nation to seize this golden opportunity and prestigious national platform, while also encouraging them to complete their online registration before the deadline.