Join us today@11 AM EST as we celebrate the Republic Day of India.

Have your say. Tell us who do you think deserves the Hindi Music Director of 2007 and why!?

IANS - Young composer Mithoon Sharma, son of Bollywood composer Naresh Sharma, is riding a new high. He has just composed the entire score for a Malaysian film called Diva.

"It's a film produced by a Malaysian satellite company. I've recorded five songs in the Malaysian language and the entire background score," said Mithoon.

Mithoon didn't understand the language Bahasa Malay and said that it wasn't easy.

"I can't say it was easy. A year back, producers were hunting for an Indian composer. I was quite new at that time. Fortunately, they weren't looking for a big name. They agreed to hear my music and liked my compositions. I was in Kuala Lumpur working with Ning Baizura. She has sung all the tracks."

The world has heard much about India's extraordinary transformation in recent years, and even of its claims to a share of "world leadership." Some of that is hyperbole, but in one respect, India's strength may be understated.

What makes a country a world leader? Is it population, military strength, or economic development? By all of these measures, India has made extraordinary strides. It is on course to overtake China as the world's most populous country by 2034, it has the world's fourth-largest army and nuclear weapons, and it is already the world's fifth-largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity and continues to climb, though too many of its people remain destitute.

We at Mastradio wish our listeners a very subh Makar Sankranti. This festival in the winter marks the change of direction of Sun from one constellation (Sagittarius) to another (Capricorn). In northern India, it is also known as Kichdi, for season's harvest is observed by cooking rice and pulses (dal), aka Kichdi. Kite flying competition is also observed today with many kids and adults coming out on roof and play grounds to show their pride in the air. :) Hope and pray that no one falls from roof this year. Safe kite flying!

The legendary R D Burman, who revolutionised Hindi film music since he debuted as composer with comedian Mehmood's 1961 movie Chote Nawab, is almost a forgotten man today.

But the songs he composed continue to live on in the minds of all music lovers.

Those are Bollywood's imperishable treasure trove, more particularly, perhaps, for the music companies cashing in on his composing genius.

His 13th death anniversary on Friday went almost unnoticed in Bollywood, the hub of entertainment, to which the maestro devoted all his years.

R D Burman, or Pancham to his friends and contemporaries, was born into music. No wonder, he could compose tunes as a toddler.