India, Feb. 2 -- Last week, on January 28, was the 95th birth anniversary of the only Indian classical musician after whom the International Astronomical Union (IAU) has named a star. This celestial tribute-a minor planet named 2006 VP32 (No. 300128)-was discovered on November 11, 2006, and journeys through the cosmos between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. The artist who has received this singular honour is none other than the great musical maestro, Pandit Jasraj, who passed away at the age of 90 on August 17, 2020, in New Jersey, USA.

The lives of legends often have remarkable stories hidden behind the dazzling arc lights of their success. A few evenings ago, at an informal dinner at home, one of my guests was the artist Vasundhara Tew...