Some dreams remain with us throughout our lives. One of my biggest dreams was to meet the legendary singer K. J. Yesudas. Destiny, however, gave me something even more precious—it gave me the privilege of honouring him with the Raagalaya Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008 at a grand function held at the prestigious Shanmukhananda Hall, Mumbai.
It was a truly unforgettable evening. By then, Yesudas Sir had almost stopped performing with live orchestras. On my humble request, he graciously agreed to present a live performance before a packed auditorium. Those who were fortunate enough to witness that magical evening still cherish those memories.
Organising an event of this magnitude was one of the biggest challenges of my life. I had no organisational backing and handled the entire project single-handedly. As per Yesudas Sir’s requirement, the full professional fee had to be sent well in advance through a demand draft, which itself was a huge responsibility.
Following his suggestion, I also invited renowned playback singer Sujatha Mohan, her talented daughter Shweta Mohan, and his son, popular playback singer Vijay Yesudas, to be part of the musical extravaganza. Also he suggested a orchestra team from Trivandrum alongwith a sound engineer.To make the programme even more entertaining for the audience, I arranged a comedy skit by the then immensely popular Cinemala team from Asianet.
The event turned out to be a grand success and remains one of the proudest achievements of my journey with Raagalaya.
There is, however, one regret that still lingers in my heart. Despite my sincere assurance that the recording would never be used for commercial purposes, Yesudas Sir did not permit the video recording of the programme. Even today, I do not know the reason. It was undoubtedly a great loss, as such a historic event could not be preserved for future generations.
But ultimately, it was his decision, and I respected it wholeheartedly.
Nevertheless, the memories of that extraordinary evening remain priceless. Meeting the legend, honouring him, and witnessing his soulful live performance are moments I will treasure forever. They continue to inspire me as I look back on the incredible journey of Raagalaya.
Some memories are beyond photographs and videos—they live forever in our hearts.