Indian Classical music lovers pay homage to legendary Singer Pt Bhim Sen Joshi on his centenary birth anniversary on Friday. He was born on 4th February 1922 at Gadag in Dharwad that was then in the Bombay Presidency of British India. His father, Gururaj Joshi, was a school teacher. Bhimsen was the eldest among 16 siblings.<br />”&nbsp;<br />”Bhimsen was good in studies but ran away from home at age 11 to pursue his love for music. His quest for a good music teacher took him to Bijapur, Gwalior, Kolkata, Delhi, Jalandhar and back to his hometown where he enrolled as a disciple of Sawai Gandharva.<br />”&nbsp;<br />”Such was Joshi's talent that he effortlessly changed tracks from classical music to abhang, natyageet, semi-classical and even playback singing.<br />”He sang a few dhrupad compositions for a film on the life of Tansen. Later, he sang for many films .<br />”He was honoured with the Padma Shri (1972), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Hindustani vocal music (1975), Padma Bhushan (1985) and Madhya Pradesh government's &quot;Tansen Samman&quot; in 1992. Bharat Ratna was bestowed on him in 2008.<br />”&nbsp;<b>&nbsp;</b><br />”<span style="color: #222222;">Joshi's rendition in Doordarshan's short films on national integration, Mile Sur Mera Tumhara…', became such a hit that even the Sawai Gandharva memorial constructed by him in Pune bears the line on its entrance. The&nbsp;legendary Singer&nbsp;died on 24th January at the age of 88.</span>