Musikala marked the birth centenary of legendary playback singer Mohammed Rafi with a memorable tribute concert, Immortal Rafi, held on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at the Richard Montgomery High School auditorium in Rockville, MD. The spacious hall was packed to capacity with over 800 attendees, creating an atmosphere of excitement and nostalgia long before the show began.
From the opening notes, the ensemble of seventeen professional musicians set a tone of reverence and artistic finesse. Vocalists Swati Kanitkar, Yidhijit Bhattacharjee, Diptanu Das, Farid Mahmood, and Vishal Karparde delivered Rafi’s classics with sincerity and style, capturing the timeless essence of his voice while adding their own expressive touches. Supported by a vibrant live orchestra, the performances felt both nostalgic and refreshingly alive.
Thoughtfully crafted narrative interludes traced Rafi’s remarkable journey—from his earliest recordings in the 1940s to his collaborations with stalwarts like Naushad, Shankar–Jaikishan, Ravi, and Laxmikant–Pyarelal. Anecdotes about his training, studio experiences, and personal warmth offered the audience a deeper understanding of the man behind the music.
A standout moment of the evening came with “Madhuban Mein Radhika Naache,” featuring an electrifying tabla jugalbandi between maestro Debu Nayak and young prodigy Arnav Gadre. Their dynamic exchange of bols and rapid-fire improvisation brought the audience to its feet. Nayak—trained under icons including Ustad Zakir Hussain and a frequent performer at prestigious venues such as the Kennedy Center—commanded the stage with ease. At the same time, Arnav matched him with youthful brilliance.
As the program unfolded, a vivid portrait of Rafi emerged: not only a singer of extraordinary versatility but also a gentle, compassionate soul known for his humility and generosity. Memories of his emotional rendition of “Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon,” which famously moved Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to tears, resonated deeply with the audience.
By the final numbers, the hall glowed with shared admiration and nostalgia. Listeners were left wanting more, echoing the sentiment of the evergreen line “Abhi na jao chhod kar, ke dil abhi bhara nahin.” Yet, as all good evenings do, this one too came to a close, leaving behind a lasting warmth.
Emcee Mona Sharma delivered a cohesive, eloquent presentation throughout the program.
About Musikala
Founded in 2023, Musikala is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting South Asian music and arts across the United States. Through concerts, workshops, masterclasses, and educational initiatives, it supports a wide range of genres, including classical, semi-classical, ghazal, fusion, and filmi music. Its mission is to preserve musical heritage, build community, and create inclusive cultural experiences across the South Asian diaspora.
Musikala’s leadership team includes President Swati Kanitkar—an IT project management professional and trained vocalist under Pacchapurkar Joshi, a SaReGaMa finalist and accomplished performer across classical and contemporary. Secretary: Soumya Chakraverty – Indian classical musician and distinguished sarod artist with national and international performances, and Treasurer: Tej Kanitkar—a computer science graduate and multi-instrumentalist who has collaborated with renowned artists including Suresh Wadkar, Kavita Paudwal, and Ali Pervez Mehdi.
(Dr. Zafar Iqbal can be reached at raabta.india@gmail.com)
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