Kalim Sharafi, one of the pioneers of Rabindra Sangeet, received the 'Lifetime Achievement Award' and honour for his outstanding contribution in the field of Tagore songs.

From now Kalim Sharafi will be getting Tk 10,000 per month from Channel i. Japan-Bangladesh Friendship Hospital will give him treatment support till his death.

He received the award at a 'Rabindra Mela' organised by Channel i at its own office at Tejgaon in the capital yesterday.

The Channel i Aauthority organised the day-long event for the fourth time in a row to mark the 148th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore on pochish Baishakh.

The fair was inaugurated with the rendition of the chorus songs by 'Surer Dhara.' Kalim Sharafi and his wife, Tagore artistes Ajit Roy and Rezwana Chowdhury Bonya, artist Hashem Khan, poet Asad Chowdhury, journalists Rahat Khan, Golam Sarwar, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Rezanur Rahman, educationist Dr Karunamoy Goswami, actors Pijush Bondopadhyay, Ataur Rahman, former adviser to the Caretaker Government Rasheda K Chowdhury, some eminent artists, singers, poets cultural activists were present at the inaugural function. Country's leading artists - Hashem Khan, Abdul Mannan, Shamsuddoha, Monirul Islam, Shaheed Kabir, Shahab Uddin, Nawsheba Dalia, Farida Zaman, Jamil Akbar, Syed Zahid Iqbal, among others, drew portraits of Rabindranath Tagore. Sale proceeds from these portraits will be spent for research works on Tagore.

At 19 stalls in the fair, dresses of Rabindranath Tagore, books on Tagore paintings, record cover of songs and Tagore's favourite food items were put on display. Film on Rabindranath Tagore was also screened. Recitation and musical programme on Tagore was held.

The whole event was aired live on Channel i. Amirul Islam and Shahidul Alam Sachchu conducted the programme.