Pandit Bhajan Sopori is considered to be a cultural bridge between the state of Jammu & Kashmir and the rest of the country. Abhay has created a revolution with various cultural activities and fostering new talents.

Shameem Azad, known as the Melody Queen of the state, and Ragini Rainu, the young Sufi diva, were also felicitated on this occasion for lending their voices to the recent Dogri albums and musical hits of Jammu like Jammu-a-ne and Hai kajla composed by Pandit Bhajan Sopori and Abhay Rustum Sopori.The awards were presented by the Governor of J&K, Lt. Gen. S.K. Sinha at a function held at the K.L. Saigal Hall.

Pandit Bhajan Sopori has given a new dimension to the Dogri language and music creating a new audience for Dogri songs. It is for the first time that Dogri songs have been promoted in the way done single-handedly by Pandit Bhajan Sopori. In the footsteps of his father, Abhay Rustom Sopori is contributing to the Dogri culture and making special efforts to take the music of Jammu to the international al level. Pandit Bhajan Sopori has also composed a song depicting the beauty of the land which is the latest musical hit of Jammu. The song has been written by Brij Mohan.

Hailed as the “Saint of Santoor” and the “King of Strings”, Pandit Bhajan Sopori has been the pioneer of santoor , being the first person to play Indian Classical music on the instrument way back in the early 1950s. In his five decades of dedicated work he has done many path-breaking innovations and has expanded its scope as a classical instrument and formally established the Sopori Baaj, the only classical style of playing santoor.

The quiet and unassuming maestro has come a long way and composed music for almost 5000 songs in various languages of India and abroad. Panditji has used his santoor and his compositions to highlight the concept of oneness and foster unity enshrining the idea of national integration, humanism and peace amongst the common man and the youth in particular.

For his enormous contributions, he has received numerous awards including the prestigious Padma Shri, J&K State Award (the highest civilian award of the J&K State), National Sangeet Natak Academy award, Delhi Ratan award, Sangeet Vibhuti award, Delhi Telugu Academy award, Akashwani Annual Awards, Shiromani award, Beenkar Samman, Punjab Sakha award, Shardha Samman, Sangeet Ratna Samman and many more. He has also been honoured with the National Flag of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

Abhay Rustum Sopori is the youngest santoor maestro and the youngest classical musician to compose and conduct orchestras and folk ensembles, and also the youngest artiste from the country to be awarded the prestigious Sangeet Natak Academy Award, the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, 2006. He has also been honoured with the prestigious Sangeet Bhushan Award - 2007, Excellence Award -2007, Young India Award - 2006 and Kalawant Samman - 2004, amongst others. With many notable albums to his credits, he has participated in various prestigious international festivals.