Celebrating 50 golden years of singing: Dr. K J Yesudas to perform at AAPI convention

Orlando, FL: Endowed with a captivating melodious and golden voice, classical excellence, and a penchant for hard work, it has been a triumphant journey for Dr. Kattassery Joseph Yesudas, becoming one of the most admired and most recorded artists ever. The world- renowned playback singer, Dr. K J Yesudas has rented his golden voice to tens of thousands of songs in almost every major language in India in the past half a century. Celebrating 50 years of contributions to the world of music, the great legendary artist, whose voice continues to mesmerize children and adults alike, will be performing at the at the 33rd Annual Convention of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) to be held from June 17th through June 21st, 2015 at the Hotel Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida.

“The 2015 AAPI Annual Convention & Scientific Assembly offers a rare platform to interact with leading physicians, health professionals, academicians, and scientists of Indian origin,” says Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, President of AAPI. “AAPI is proud to celebrate, honor, and present 50 years of Golden Voice by legendary Dr. K.J. Yesudas, the world renowned playback singer, during his six-city unique musical concerts across the United States,” Dr. Jahagirdar adds.

The annual convention this year is being organized by AAPI’s Florida Chapter, headed by Dr. Amish Parikh. Elaborating on the efforts and preparations that have been devoted to put together this unique event, Dr. Parikh, chairman of AAPI 201 Annual Convention, said, “We have been working for more than two years in putting together an attractive program for our annual get together, educational activity and family enjoyment. I and the Co-Chairs are fortunate to have a dedicated team of convention committee members from Florida helping us. We are expecting a record turnout and hence I would encourage early registration to avoid later disappointment.”

Over 2,000 physicians and families of Indian heritage are expected to gather and deliberate on ways to further their own professional knowledge and identify ways to network and offer a unified voice to protect the rapidly eroding patient’s rights as well as explore community outreach opportunities.

Some of the major attractions include, 10 – 12 hours of cutting-edge CME with renowned speakers, Women’s Forum, a first time Men’s Forum, Product Theaters to highlight the newest advances in patient care and medical technology, Alumni meetings for networking, also an AAPI-India Strategic Engagement Forum to showcase the AAPI initiatives in India like Trauma Brain Injury as supported by Shri Amitabh Bacchan, and recognition of AAPI Award winners. After hours, there will be a cultural fare including fashion shows, the best of Bollywood, and for the family, fun filled tours to world’s most exciting theme parks.

The 73-year old singer from India’s musical journey began on November 14th, 1961 when the young Yesudas recorded his first song for a Malayalam film at a Chennai studio. His dreams of becoming a singer were realized when he got his first break in a Malayalam film Kalpaddukal in 1961.  Thereafter in fifty years of singing for films and concerts and albums, Yesudas has sung over 50,000 songs in 17 languages. Yesudas, son of noted stage actor and singer Augustine Joseph, got his first recognition at the age of nine when he won a gold medal for music at a local competition in Kochi, India. He believes it was a divine plan as he started his career by singing a poem written by the most revered spiritual personality of modern India, Sree Narayana Guru.

He has won numerous awards and is regarded as a unifying voice of India. Winner of scores of accolades, including the coveted Padma Bhushan & Padmashree from the government of India, in addition to seven national awards for the best playback singer, India’s very own Gana Gandharvan (the divine singer) is still breathing music and enchanting music lovers all over the world.

There are very few artists in India who have won as many national awards as this eminent artist has own during his over five decades of being ibn the world of music.   Dr. Yesudas believes in One God, “who is known by different names and forms, and is revered by people of different faiths.” Not surprisingly, the popular Indian playback legend was given the first Sree Narayana Dharma Sanghom Trust Award for fostering communal harmony, recognizing his outstanding contributions in promoting communal amity and spreading Sree Narayana Guru’s message of universal brotherhood and peace. Yesudas has assumed the role of cultural ambassador of India during his numerable performances abroad, promoting both classical and film music. Honors and awards followed him wherever he went.

Yesudas is largely responsible for popularizing Indian music and spreading the message of international fellowship for which Mother Theresa of Calcutta rightly honored him with the National Citizens Award on World Peace Day in 1994. In the same year, Yesudas was presented an honorary award by UNESCO for “Outstanding Achievements in Music and Peace” at a concert event named “Music for Peace,” to mark the dawn of the new millennium.

Interestingly, he was invited by the then Soviet Government to perform music concerts in various cities of the U.S.S.R in 1965 and had also sung a Russian song over Radio Kazakhstan. The popular artist from Kerala, who has won the hearts and minds of millions of people across the globe with his golden voice, was awarded with the Lifetime Achievement Award by Zee Gold Bollywood Music Awards in New York. In 2002, he was given the Saraswathi Millennium Award during a colorful ceremony in New York.

Yesudas credits his success to “the grace of God,” and to the support, love, and affection he has been receiving from the audience across the world. In spite of all his remarkable achievements, Yesudas is a very humble and down-to-earth person. His humility, perseverance and devotion to music are an inspiration to all the young aspiring musicians, who wish to follow in his footsteps. Although, he is known across the globe as a legendary classical music singer, he said, “My knowledge of classical music is like an iceberg. I consider myself a student of music who constantly seeks to learn and to perfect this vast ocean.”

The golden voice of Yesudas has captured the hearts of his fans all over the world. As a singer, Yesudas has become a legend in his own lifetime and continues to mesmerize music lovers with his ageless and magical voice. He said, “I will continue to sing in movies as long as my voice and my health permit me.” To keep himself and his voice fit, he says, he controls his diet and life. Married for more than 30 years, Dr. Yesudas and his wife have three sons, Vinod, Vijay and Vishal. The family resides in Chennai, India but has a second home in Texas, USA, from where they operate during their frequent visits to the United States.

Welcoming all to Orlando to celebrate the achievements of Indian American physicians, Dr. Jahagirdar says, “Physicians and healthcare professionals from across the country and internationally will convene and participate in the scholarly exchange of medical advances, to develop health policy agendas, and to encourage legislative priorities in the coming year.

The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) is the largest ethnic medical organization in the United States. AAPI is an umbrella organization which has nearly 90 local chapters, specialty societies and alumni organizations. For over 30 years, Indian physicians have made significant contributions to health care in this country, not only practicing in inner cities, rural areas and peripheral communities but also at the top medical schools and other academic centers. Almost 10%-12% of medical students entering US schools are of Indian origin. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, AAPI represents the interests of over 60,000 physicians and 25,000medical students and residents of Indian heritage in the United States. For more details, and sponsorship opportunities, please visit:  www.aapiconvention.org and www.aapiusa.org.