Jogiraj Sikidar, Dubai resident and founder-director of Malhaar Centre for Performing Arts, received UAE’s golden visa in the art and culture category, reported Khaleej Times.
According to Sikidar, he had received an email from the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority a few months ago stating that he had been nominated for the golden visa in the creative category. “It was such a pleasant surprise as I did not have any clue on who had nominated me and I had not applied for the visa myself,” Sikidar was quoted as saying.
“I am humbled and grateful to the UAE government for this honour,” thanking the UAE government, Sikidar said. “This visa ensures my belief that Dubai is a cultural melting pot of the world where talented artists can flourish in the field of creativity.”
The 10-year Golden Visa by the UAE authorities is part of the UAE’s immigration initiative to attract investors, professionals, academicians, talented artists who could enrich the UAE society and probably look to relocate to the UAE, which is one of the best places to live and work.
Sikidar had moved to Dubai from India about 16 years ago and had made the emirate his home. He said that his musical career flourished in Dubai ever since he had decided to give up his career in broadcast media. He had become a full-time artist and set up Malhaar Centre for Performing Arts. As he stated, the United Arab Emirates has given him so much that he is grateful to the country’s leaders for their vision.
Belonging to Kirana Gharana, Sikidar is a trained classical musician who has been trained personalities such as Pt. Mani Prasad, Kankana Banerjee, Shikha Ganguly and Prof. Rita Ganguly. He has mastered the legendary style of Thumri rendition of the late Siddeswari Devi and Begum Akhtar.
Sikidar has devoted himself to performances and towards spreading Hindustani Classical music for over 30 years now. He had completed his graduation from Kirori Mal College, Delhi and then had studied at IIM, Ahmedabad. In 2016, Sikidar launched the Malhaar Centre for Performing Arts in Dubai to connect the NRI community to its heritage.
