‘Kishore Da lived his songs’, says lyricist Prasoon Joshi:Artist to receive National Kishore Kumar Award in Khandwa today; 27 personalities honoured so far

Famous lyricist, screenwriter, and poet Prasoon Joshi is in Khandwa, where he will be honored with the National Kishore Kumar Award tonight at 8:30 PM. Earlier in the day, Joshi visited Omkareshwar from Indore and offered prayers at the Jyotirlinga. At 6 PM, he reached Kishore Kumar’s memorial site to pay floral tributes. As part of the ceremony, Joshi was offered his favorite dish, milk-jalebi, as prasad, and he hummed a song in memory of the legendary singer. Joshi reflects on Kishore Kumar’s legacy Speaking about the honor and Kishore Kumar’s life, Prasoon Joshi said, It is a great honor for any artist. I am fortunate to be associated with it. He described Kishore Kumar as an immaculate, natural, and free-flowing personality who could take audiences into worlds of both laughter and pain. Joshi added, I often wonder how Kishore Da would have sung if he were performing today. He believed in sharing—whether happiness or sorrow, he conveyed it to everyone. Joshi also reflected on the current era of music, noting that many contemporary singers struggle to do justice to lyrics, which never happened with Kishore Kumar. “When he sang fun-filled songs, it felt like pure joy. When he sang songs of pain, it felt like only suffering existed in the world. Technology has changed music today, but Kishore Da reminds us that truth is always raw,” he said. Felicitation ceremony details The felicitation ceremony will take place at the Police Line Ground at 8:30 PM. Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav will join virtually. Following the award presentation, Mumbai’s Hemant Kumar Musical Group will perform a medley of Kishore Kumar’s songs. National Kishore Kumar Award; past recipients and prize Since its inception in 1997, the National Kishore Kumar Award has been given to many notable artists from the film industry. The first recipient was renowned director Hrishikesh Mukherjee. The 2024-25 award is being presented to Prasoon Joshi, while last year it was awarded to director Rajkumar Hirani. According to NP Namdev, Director of the Culture Department, the award includes a tax-free cash prize of ₹5 lakh along with a citation. The honor recognises outstanding contributions in acting, screenplay writing, songwriting, and direction, continuing the legacy of one of India’s most celebrated artists.