Taga Ram Bheel awarded Padma Shri for preserving Algoza tradition
India
Taga Ram Bheel, a 66-year-old from Jaisalmer, just received the Padma Shri for keeping the Algoza, a unique double flute, alive in Rajasthan's Thar Desert.
The Algoza isn't just an instrument; it's woven into local festivals, weddings, and storytelling.
Bheel learned to play it as a kid and has spent decades making sure its sound doesn't fade away.
Taga Ram Bheel toured 35+ countries
Bheel's journey began in childhood and took off after his formal musical journey began at Jaisalmer's Desert Festival in 1981.
He's performed in more than 35 countries abroad, including in the US Japan, and France, but he still crafts Algozas by hand and works in mining back home.