Laxmikant's Daughter Makes Grievance Public After Composer's Name Gets Omitted From Padma Bhushan

Pyarelal, half of the renowned composer duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal was recently announced as a recipient of the Padma Bhushan, India's prestigious civilian honour. This has now stirred controversy as the late Laxmikant's family appeals for the other composer’s inclusion.

Laxmikant’s daughter voices disappointment 

Rajeshwari Laxmikant, daughter of the late composer Laxmikant recently expressed her family's sentiments after Pyarelal's Padma Bhushan announcement. Despite celebrating Pyarelal's recognition, the family said that Laxmikant should also be honoured posthumously for their collective contributions.

The family, in letters addressed to the Union ministries of Home and Information and Broadcasting, pleaded for Laxmikant's inclusion alongside Pyarelal. Jaya Kudalkar, Laxmikant's wife, also urged the government to acknowledge her late husband's significant role in their collaborative work.

Rajeshwari talked about the inseparable bond between Laxmikant and Pyarelal and highlighted their lifelong partnership from childhood.

She underlined their musical journey, spanning over 35 years and yielding iconic compositions for numerous Bollywood classics and said, “They even shared the same blood group. They must have had some divine blessings with them… the fact that two musically inclined people came together at such a young age and they created history. So when the government is giving such a big honour, it should have been to both.”

Rajeshwari expressed confidence in the government's understanding and hoped for a reconsideration to rectify the oversight

“We, being his family, were sentimental as we have seen the hard work, the struggle, the challenges that both of them faced… LP has been a name to both of them, it was never Laxmikant Kudalkar or Pyarelal Sharma, nor have they composed individually, you can’t take L or P alone,” she added.

Following Laxmikant's demise in 1998, Pyarelal distanced himself from active composing, occasionally contributing as a music arranger. However, he has himself not commented on the entire Padma Bhushan episode.

With inputs from PTI.