Khurshid Alam honoured with Feroza Begum Memorial Gold Medal 2023
Today, iconic singer Khurshid Alam was honored with the prestigious Feroza Begum Memorial Gold Medal for the year 2022. The grand ceremony took place at the Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban, in University of Dhaka.
The event, presided over by the Treasurer, Professor Mamtaz Uddin Ahmed, commenced with a warm welcome speech delivered by M Anis Ud Dowla, chair of ACI Group and the donor of the trust fund.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dhaka, Md Akhteruzzaman, graced the occasion as the chief guest. He handed the gold medal and a remuneration of BDT 1 lakh to Khurshid Alam.
Overwhelmed with emotions, Khurshid Alam expressed his sentiments upon receiving the honor, stating, "She was a legend with whom we dreamed to share a stage with, now I am receiving the award in her name. It's such a great honour for me."
The award ceremony serves as a tribute to the late Feroza Begum, who devoted her life to the realm of music. M Anis Ud Dowla, while addressing the audience, highlighted the significance of commemorating her life and work.
Md Akhtaruzzaman extended his respect to Feroza Begum while congratulating the recipients of the Feroza Begum Memorial Gold Medal. He emphasised that the younger generation should follow in her illustrious footsteps and thanked the ACI Foundation for its invaluable support.
The evening began on a captivating note with enthralling music and dance performances by the students of the Department of Music and the Department of Dance.
Amidst the celebrations, Komol Dutt, an outstanding student from the Music Department, received a gold medal and a flower bouquet for achieving the highest CGPA in BA Honours.
It is worth mentioning that illustrious singers, including Sabina Yasmin, Rezwana Choudhury Bannya, Runa Laila, Farida Parveen, Ferdausi Rahman, and Syed Abdul Hadi, were previously bestowed with the Feroza Begum Memorial Gold Medal in the years 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively.
Feroza Begum was one of the most prominent singers of the subcontinent, in the genre of Nazrul Sangeet. The singer, who is regarded as the nightingale of Nazrul Sangeet, was lucky enough to study under the tutelage of the National poet, Kazi Nazrul Islam.
The University of Dhaka (DU) introduced the "Feroza Begum Memorial Gold Medal" to preserve the name and legacy of the legendary singer. Since 2016, the award has been given to one nationally recognised musician every year.