New York-based Trinidadian Anand Yankaran created history by becoming the first ever Chutney Road March Champion of this country.
His winning composition "Jo Jo-Tarsey Meira Jeera" was played throughout the country at various National Carnival Commission (NCC) regional Carnival judging points by DJs and live bands a total of 117 times.
For his effort, Yankaran got a new Mitsubishi Lancer–the same prize awarded to the Soca Road March champ Machel Montano. Speaking then from New York, Yankaran was overjoyed to hear the news. The tune was just one of many he has released throughout the years, he added, expressing surprise that the selection climbed the charts in T&T.
Yankaran, elder brother of chutney artiste Rakesh Yankaran, lived in New York for many years. He performed in a number of shows in New York and Canada.
Among the top songs produced by Yankaran are "Malineya," "Humsa Bolaway," "Laylo Laylo," "Nanda Baba," "Zindabad Trinbago," "Gunguroo Bajay," "Indra Puri Say," "Soch Samajh Abhiman," "Ranga Dall," "Bola Baba," and "Kya Kar Mai."
At the age of ten, when he was the leader of the Waterloo Hindu School choir, he led his group of singers to win the Divali singing competitions put out by the Maha Sabha back then. One of Yankaran's mega hits, "Nanda Baba," remains a top song which is played on the local East Indian radio frequency on a regular basis.
His specialty was mixing soca with classical and calypso. Although he did not perform in T&T for many years, he had been creating waves with his songs in New York,
In recent years he toured extensively in North America, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Suriname, Jamaica, England, Canada and the United States. He formally studied music theory with local musicians Bansraj Ramkissoon, Mungal Patassar, Pradip Shankar, Sunil Verma and Kavita Verma from India and was taught the harmonium by younger brother, Rakesh. He could also play the dholak, tabla and sitar.
The National Chutney Foundation of T& T has lost one of its iconic members and wishes his entire family our condolences.
Dr Vijay Ramlal Rai,
President, National Chutney Foundation
of T&T