Fact Check: Video does not show Pandit Bhimsen Joshi's grandson singing
A video of a child singing is being shared on WhatsApp and Facebook with the claim that the boy is Viraj Joshi, grandson of Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. Pandit Bhimsen Gururaj Joshi was an Indian vocalist in the Hindustani classical tradition from Karnataka who passed away in 2011.
By Newsmeter Network Published on 5 Sept 2021 11:30 AM IST
Hyderabad: A video of a child singing is being shared on WhatsApp and Facebook with the claim that the boy is Viraj Joshi, grandson of Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. Pandit Bhimsen Gururaj Joshi was an Indian vocalist in the Hindustani classical tradition from Karnataka who passed away in 2011.
The claim reads, "Master Viraj Joshi Grandson of Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshiji, please listen till the end!"
Click here for a similar claim.
Fact Check
The claim is false. The boy in the video is not Pandit Bhimsen Joshi's grandson.
NewsMeter searched for the images of Viraj Joshi and found reports by The Bridge Chronicle and the Patrika that carried his image. The articles on the sites show the grandson of the Pandit. A side-by-side comparison of the boy in the viral image and of Viraj Joshi shows the difference in individuals.
Secondly, upon close observation, NewsMeter noticed the logo of 'Sangeet Piyasi Calcutta' in the viral video. Sangeet Piyasi is an organization that promotes and propagates Indian classical music. Using this hint, NewsMeter performed a reverse image and keyword search and found the longer version of the viral video on Sangeet Piyasi's YouTube account from 2018. The viral clipping can be seen at 1:18 minutes. The title at this timeframe identified the child as Aryya Banik. He is a talented young vocalist who in 2018 performed a 45-minute recital live in concert at the India Habitat Centre, presented by Kshitiji Mathur's Swarit Foundation, according to The Hindu.
Evidently, it is clear that the boy in the viral video is not Viraj Joshi, grandson of Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi.
Thus, the claim is false.
