New Delhi, Aug 27: Veteran classical singer Pt Bhimsen Joshi will be conferred the first Swami Haridas Award instituted in the memory of the legendary saint-musician.

Joshi, 86, has been selected for the award for his outstanding work in the filed of classical singing, Swami Haridas samiti secretary Gopi Goswami told a press conference here.

The vocalist, a descendant of `Kirana Gharana,` is renowned for the `Khayal` form of singing and for his bhajans.

A pioneer of Hindustani classical music, Swami Haridas, who had Tansen and Baiju Bawara as disciples, chose
music as a way of worshipping.

Joshi will be presented Rs one lakh along with a silver statue of Swami Haridas as part of the award, he said.

The samiti will also organises a Swami Haridas-Tansen music festival in the capital on December 9-10.