In 2019, a minor planet between Mars and Jupiter was named after which Indian classical singer?

In September 2019, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) named a minor planet after Pandit Jasraj, the great Hindustani classical vocalist. He became the first Indian musician to have a minor planet named after him.

About the minor planet:

It was discovered in 2006 and was previously known by the number 2006 VP32.

It was given the official number and name "300128 Panditjasraj". The number 300128 is a reverse of his date of birth, 28-01-30 (28 January 1930).

It lies in the main asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

About Pandit Jasraj (1930-2020):

• He was born on 28 January 1930 in Pili Mandori, in Hisar district (now in Fatehabad district), Haryana.
• He belonged to the Mewati gharana of Hindustani classical music.
• He began as a tabla accompanist, but later became a vocalist.
• He is credited with popularising "Haveli Sangeet", the devotional temple music of the Vaishnava tradition.
• He created a unique form of "jugalbandi" called "Jasrangi", in which a male and a female singer sing different ragas at the same time, in the style of the ancient "moorchana" system.
• He was known for his devotional bhajans, such as "Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya".
• He received the Padma Shri (1975), Padma Bhushan (1990) and Padma Vibhushan (2000), as well as the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1987).
• He died on 17 August 2020 in New Jersey, USA, at the age of 90.

Other Indian musicians:

• Pandit Bhimsen Joshi: Kirana gharana; Bharat Ratna (2009).
• S. Subbulakshmi: Carnatic singer; first musician to receive the Bharat Ratna (1998).
• Pandit Ravi Shankar: sitar maestro; Bharat Ratna (1999).

Why not the other options?

• ✗Pandit Bhimsen Joshi belonged to the Kirana gharana.
• ✗S. Subbulakshmi was the first musician to get the Bharat Ratna.
• ✗Pandit Ravi Shankar was a sitar maestro.