Neeti Gopendra Bhatt 

Jaipur. Renowned Ghazal singer and Padma Shri awardee Pinaz Masani—a distinguished figure in the world of art and music—paid a heartfelt tribute to the late K.C. Maloo, a connoisseur of the arts and a patron of culture from Rajasthan. She did so while attending the 'Jaidev Smriti Sangeet Sandhya' (a musical evening dedicated to composer Jaidev) held at the Rajasthan International Centre in Jaipur. Describing Maloo’s passing as an irreparable loss to the entire artistic community, Pinaz Masani remarked that a strange, poignant silence hangs over the art world today.


In her emotional address, Pinaz Masani said, “K.C. Maloo was the person who introduced me to Jaipur. At the behest of Jaidev-ji, he gave me the opportunity to come to Jaipur and perform for his organization, ‘Sur Sangam.’ For me, this was not merely a single event but the beginning of a connection with Jaipur—a bond that endures to this day and holds a special place in my life.”


She noted that for many years, she has been a part of ‘Sur Sangam’s’ annual talent search competition. Beyond providing opportunities to emerging talent, this platform has fostered numerous memorable relationships within the realms of music and culture. Visibly moved, she added, “Today, for the first time, I stand on this stage in Maloo-ji’s absence. It is not easy to fill the void left by him.”


Pinaz Masani observed that K.C. Maloo was not merely a patron of the arts; he was a sensitive individual driven by a passion for connecting artists, identifying new talent, and nurturing their growth. For him, music was not just entertainment but a medium to convey culture and human emotion to society. He expressed confidence that Mukesh Agarwal—who co-founded the 'Sur Sangam' organization with Malu-ji—along with Malu-ji’s sons, Hemjit Malu and Prasenjit Malu, would carry forward his dreams and unfinished work. He remarked that the truest tribute to him would be for his family and associates to continue, with the same energy, the cultural journey that K.C. Malu had advanced with such dedication and commitment.


Renowned Delhi-based singer Chhaya Ganguly also became emotional while remembering K.C. Malu during the musical evening. She expressed how deeply moving it was to realize that K.C. Malu—the very person who had invited her to this event—was no longer in this world. She noted that memories of Malu-ji and his dedication to the arts would always remain alive among artists. The performing vocalists—lead singer Bela Sulakhe (Mumbai) and singer Chirag Panchal (Mumbai)—shared that K.C. Malu-ji had personally invited them to the event and suggested specific songs; performing these pieces now filled them with deep emotion.


Singer Bela Sulakhe mentioned that Malu-ji had asked her to sing the Rajasthani song "Peetal Ki Mori Gagri Dildi Se Mol Mangai Re"—a song she then performed. Her words cast a somber, poignant mood over the auditorium.


In this evening dedicated to the music of Jaidev, while the melodies stirred the emotions of the audience, memories of K.C. Malu-ji also kept surfacing. The sense of his absence from the stage was profound, matched only by the intensity with which his service to the arts and his deep bond with artists were remembered.


This musical evening was not merely an occasion to pay musical homage to the great composer Jaidev; it was also a tribute to that dedicated devotee of art and culture, K.C. An evening was also dedicated to paying tribute to Malu-ji, who had devoted a significant part of his life to music, culture, and artists. Although he is no longer physically among us, the seeds of melody and culture he sowed will continue to spread their fragrance to future generations.


In this musical evening dedicated to the memory of Jaidev-ji, Satish Popli handled the musical arrangements, while Piyush Bhardwaj conducted the program with impressive stage presence.