Conference: Remembering Komal Kothari

[David Magier]

I have been asked to pass along this event announcement to your
mailing list or listserv. Please contact Prof. Maxine Weisgrau
<mkw3 at columbia.edu> for any follow up or RSVP. I apologize for any
cross-posting.

David Magier

>Conference: Remembering Komal Kothari
>
>REMEMBERING KOMAL KOTHARI: A conference on intellectual contributions to
>scholarship on Rajasthan and Folklore
>
>Thursday, May 20 2004 Southern Asian Reading Room, 601 Butler Library,
>Columbia University, New York City (timing TBD)
>
>Please join students, family, and friends of Padmasri Komal Kothari at a
>gathering to honor his contributions to scholarship on folklore in India.
>
>The purpose of this announcement is two-fold:
>         . please save the date and RSVP
>         . let us know if you're interested in presenting (15-20) minute
>papers on your work and Komalda's contributions to it.
>
>We will update you all as the program evolves, and a schedule of speakers
>is announced.  We hope to see you there.
>
>Regards...Carol Henderson, David Magier, Maxine Weisgrau
>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>Maxine Weisgrau, PhD
>Associate Term Professor
>Anthropology/Women's Studies
>Barnard College/Columbia University
>411b Milbank Hall
>New York, NY 10027
>212-854-2236
>
>
>====================================================================
>Komal Kothari passes away
>
>With profound grief we inform all the members that the founder Director of
>institute of folklore "Rupayan" and a renowned scholar passed away on 20th
>April 2004 at Jodhpur at 11.35 pm. He was seventy-five.
>
>
>Born in 1929 in a village in Rajasthan, Komal Kothari distinguished himself
>as a folklorist not only in the country but all over the world. For more
>than 50 years he researched and documented the performing arts of the region
>making notable contributions to studies in many areas of folklore in
>particular to study of musical instruments, regional oral traditions and
>puppetry. A pioneer in many areas of folklore, he founded the Rupayan
>Sansthan in early sixties.
>
>
>Kothari served as a consultant guide to several institutions and research
>scholars from all over the world. He was Indian representative at many
>international fora for study of ethnomusicology. He was published widely and
>has instrumental in the production of a definitive series of gramophone
>records, cassettes, compact discs and a number of documentaries on
>Rajasthani folklore. He received several national and international awards
>including Padamshri and Padam Bhushan, the highest civilian award bestowed
>by the President of India.
>
>
>Kothari had been in different health for several years and he was
>hospitalised for the last 3 months. He passed away peacefully in midst of
>his family members. Kothari headed a big joint family and is survived by his
>wife Smt. Indira, two sons- Prashant and Kuldeep, and three daughters Uttra,
>Chitra and Mitra. His funeral was largely attended and was given state
>honour.
>
>
>In his last days, Kothari was deeply involved in his dream project of
>setting up a unique ethnographic museum for which the state government has
>donated a large peace of land at Arana Jharna, Mocalawas - a picturesque
>outer Jodhpur city. The museum of his dream aims at to have objects of daily
>use rather than those of historic or exotic significance. The museum will
>relate the story of the creative ingenuity of the common folk by tracing the
>history of tangible cultural objects and role they played in their daily
>life.
>
>
>Kuldeep Kothari:
>E-mail: rajfolk_jp1 at sancharnet.in
>Address: Rupayan Sansthan, Paota B/2 road, Jodhpur- 342010, Rajasthan
>Tel.: 291-2546359, 2551524 Fax: 91-291-2454354