Indian legendary singer wins country's top award

India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, has this year been given to the highly-respected classical singer, M S Subbulakshami.

Ms Subbulakshami, who is eighty-one, specialises in the Carnatic style of Indian classical music, and is known for her devotional music, or Bhajans.

The winner of several prestigious music awards, Ms Subbulakshami was given a standing ovation at the United Nations General Assembly when she performed at the UN day in nineteen sixty-six.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service