Jaipur Shimmers with Poetry as the Extraordinary Talent Bankat Bihari ‘Pagal’ is Remembered
Pt. Ved Prakash Dadhich Honored with ‘Bankat Bihari ‘Pagal’ – Kalpana Smriti Samman’; Dr. K.L. Jain Attends as Chief Guest, Professor Dr. Chinmay Shesh Mehta as Guest of Honor
Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], October 2: It is said that poets never truly depart; they live on through their words. This sentiment resonated deeply on the evening of October 2, 2026, as the Bhairon Singh Auditorium at the Rajasthan Chamber Bhawan (near Ajmeri Gate) shimmered with the radiance of poetry.
The occasion marked the ninth death anniversary of the late Bankat Bihari ‘Pagal’ Ji, and ‘Veena Maa Music’ transformed the event into a heartfelt tribute titled the ‘Jhilmil Kavi Sammelan’ (Shimmering Poetry Gathering).
Dr. K.L. Jain, President of the Rajasthan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), graced the event as the Chief Guest. Professor Dr. Chinmay Shesh Mehta—an ethnic designer associated with ‘Chokhi Dhani’ and a former Dean at the University of Rajasthan—adorned the stage as the Guest of Honor. Former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot, sent his best wishes for the program from Mumbai. The Munch Sanchalan was conducted with poise and dignity by Dr. Santosh Charan.
The most poignant moment of the gathering arrived when senior poet Pt. Ved Prakash Dadhich was honored with the ‘Bankat Bihari ‘Pagal’ – Kalpana Smriti Samman’ in recognition of his enduring dedication to the fields of literature and poetry. This award was not merely a tribute to an individual, but a salute to the unwavering love and literary legacy shared by the late Bankat Bihari and his wife, the late Kalpana.
When Poetry Captivated the Audience
Poet after poet took the stage, and the entire auditorium resonated with applause, words of appreciation, and teary eyes. More than 30 renowned poets from Jaipur—including Pragya Srivastava, Rajni Shree Bedi, Bhanu Bhardwaj, Vinay Kumar, Surekha Mittal, Gopal Singh Raghav, Archana Bhatnagar, Mukesh Saxena, Qasim Bikaneri, P.K. Mast, and Pt. Ved Prakash Dadhich—revived the literary journey of ‘Kavi Pagal’ through their compositions. The presence of the city’s literature enthusiasts and dignitaries made the evening truly unforgettable.
This successful event was the result of months of hard work and heartfelt effort by Prashansa Srivastava (Founder of Veena Maa Music), Director Ritesh Srivastava, and their entire team; the organization expressed its sincere gratitude to everyone involved.
Poets (Male and Female)
Dr. Nisha Mathur (Saraswati Vandana)
Prashansa Srivastava
Rajni Shree Bedi
Bhanu Bhardwaj
Vinay Kumar (Ankush)
Surekha Mittal
Gopal Singh Raghav
Badal Songara
Archana Bhatnagar
Pragya Srivastava ‘Pragyanjali’
Mukesh Saxena
Bhagwan Sahay Pareek
Varun Chaturvedi
Veenu Sharma
Kamlesh Upadhyay
Rajesh Bhatnagar
P. K. Mast
Nirupama Chaturvedi
Sunita Meena
Rajesh Rajua
Kanhaiya Lal
Shobha Chandar
Hemant Kumawat
Sakaar Srivastava
Amit Azad
Umesh Utsahi
Abdul Gaffar
Gyanvati Saxena
Krishna Kumar Saini
Anu Sharma ‘Gargi Ji’
Pt. Ved Prakash Dadhich (Kalpana Smriti Samman)
Dr. Santosh Charan (Munch Sanchalan)
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