Musical evening of Ghazals featuring Shashi Lata Virk

Hailing from Rajasthan, the immortal land of Mira Bai and musicians like Mehdi Hassan, Pandit Ram Narayan, Ustad Sultan Khan and growing up in a household filled with classical music and ustads walking in and out of her childhood where music whispers in the very air, the young 5 year old Shashi began imitating the singing sensation Lata Mangeshkar. Recognizing the latent talent in the young Shashi, her father introduced her to the magic world of music under the tutelage of late Ustad Bhure Khan of Kirana Gharana. Followed by other stalwart ustads like Ustad Amir Khan, Ustad Nasir Ahmed Khan of the Delhi Gharana and Liaquat Begum among others. With an early start at the age of 7, Shashi started performing from the tender age of 11 and by age 14 she became the youngest Top Grade artist of All India Radio ( A.I.R. ) and Delhi Doordarshan Hailed as one of the most profound vocal talents of All India Radio (A.I.R.) and Doordarshan, Shashi, a huge fan of Lataji had a strong leaning towards the semi-classical genres to lend her voice to a couple of movies. At the tender age of 16, marriage to Squadron Leader Kawanljit Singh virk landed her in the land of dreams,Bombay, where she recorded her first album of Ghazals composed and directed by Ravindra Jain through HMV. At a time when her musical career began to blossom, Shashi moved back to Delhi to continue recording concerts for Delhi Doordarshan and All India Radio. She had the privilege of working with and recording for renowned composers like Anil Biswas, Manna Dey, Ravindra Jain, Panna Lal Kathak, Pt. Shiv Parshad, Ustad Nasir Ahmed, and Satish Bhatia among others. At a time when Shashi became one of the most sought after artists, and would have achieved greater heights, family came first once again and this time took her away from the limelight to far off Canada along with her husband and growing family. Shashi met Salim Raza, a renowned singer from Pakistan, who also had just immigrated to Canada as she, to continue her tryst with music propagation in the form of teaching and concerts for the India/Canada Association to be recognized by the Canadian Cultural Association for her outstanding efforts in promoting Indian Classical music. She was also honored by the British Columbia Cultural Association with an "Outstanding Indian Award' for her unstinting service to spread Indian Classical Music in Canada. She also taught at The Royal Conservatory Of Music.