Maestro Zubin Mehta has been awarded an Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), in recognition of his eminent service to the Australia-India bilateral relationship and humanity at large, particularly in the fields of classical music and philanthropy.

Zubin Mehta is awarded an Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia after conducting the Australian World Orchestra at the Sydney Opera House, 2022. Photo © Prudence Upton

The award was presented to the Maestro by His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley, Governor-General of Australia, at the Sydney Opera House on Saturday as he took his bows to a rapturous audience at the end of the Australian World Orchestra’s concert.

The legendary Maestro – Mo Mehta as he is fondly known – has conducted the AWO on several occasions, firstly in Australia in 2013 and then in India in 2015. This month, he conducted the orchestra in four performances – firstly at the Edinburgh Festival and the BBC Proms as part of the UK/Australia Season, and then in Australia at Melbourne’s Hamer Hall and the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. Prior to the engagements, he spoke to Limelight from...