GMMA on April 17
The living Carnatic music legend V. Dakshinamoorthi who has set music for songs in over 350 films in Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi, will be awarded the Gulf Malayalam Music award for his comprehensive contributions to the music world at the fourth Gulf Malayalam Music Awards (GMMA) to be held in Dubai Festival City on April 17. Renowned singers K.J. Yesudas, S. Janaki and S.P. Balasubramaniam are the previous winners.
Speaking to reporters at the Ernakulam Press Club last week, Asif Thottath, director of Dubai-based ADVA group, which is organizing the event, said that the award would be conferred on Dakshinamoorthi at the star-studded musical extravaganza in which celebrities from Bollywood, playback singers, music bands and dance troupes from the South Indian entertainment industry are expected to attend.
The GMMA, dubbed as the biggest celebration of Malayalam music in the Gulf region, will also honour the best talents, performers and musical�pieces released in Malayalam in 2008. They are selected on the�basis on votes cast by music lovers residing in the Gulf.
Meanwhile, Dakshinamoorthi is now retired from film music but is still active in classical music. However, in 2008 he composed 4 songs for a Malayalam film Mizhikal Sakshi, directed by Ashok R. Nath. He has to his credit as many as 859 songs composed over 50 years.
