Falguni Mitra - Dhrupad
A talented young Dhrupad singer during the nineteen fifties, Pandit Falguni Mitra transformed by the seventies, to a master Dhrupad exponent, known to all the music connoisseurs of India – both North and South. A regular broadcaster on All India Radio and television, he has performed at all the major music conferences all over India and has been acclaimed as a reviver of the great art form.

His guru and father, Pandit Shib Mitra, a worthy disciple of Pandit Bholanath Pathak of Betia-Banaras Gharana, also received training in Alaap from the legendary musician of the twentieth century, Ustad Nasiruddin Khan, the patriarch of all the Dagars. Thus Falguni Mitra combines the Dagar style of Alaap with the Betia-Banaras style of Dhrupad and Dhamaar with a distinctive stamp of his own personality. His music is truly different from all others in this genre.

Though he had a long stint as a top executive of a multinational company, in 1999 he returned to ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata as the Guru for Dhrupad and also as the Prefect for administering all the activities connected with teaching of music. Since then, Dhrupad has become a compulsory subject for all students at ITC-SRA.

A venerable Resource Person to major universities and institutions, he regularly participates in seminars/workshops for teachers and professors and is an external examiner and advisor to many notable institutions. He has also authored several valuable publications.

Omkar Dadarkar - Vocal, ex-scholar ITC-SRA
When globalization is firmly gripping the world making most of the modern society involved in material gold-rush, very few persons maintain their originality and tradition. Omkar Dadarkar is one of them. Born in Mumbai on 30th July 1977, he was enthused by his parents, both being Marathi Natya-Sangeet performer. He took his initial training under Shri Ram Deshpande and received a scholarship from C.C.R.T.(New Delhi).As the nephew and shishya of the legendary vocalist Padmashree Manik Verma, Omkar was fortunate enough to get taleem from her. After that he took training from Pandit Yashwantbua Joshi of Gwalior Gharana under the Guru-shishya Parampara scheme of Dadar-Matunga Cultural Centre. Being selected as scholar by I.T.C. Sangeet Research Academy in 1999, he had undergone rigorous training under the tutelage of guru Pt.Ulhas Kashalkar. He was also trained in light classical music by Vidushi Girijadevi and Shri Srinivas Khale. He also completed Sangeet Alankar from Gandharv Mahavidyalaya and graduate in Marathi lit.and History.

Omkar’s performances in several Music Conferences in the cities of New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Kanpur, Lucknow, and in abroad like Canada, Nepal etc. were highly applauded. He received the prestigious Vidyasagar Award from Music Forum. His handsome voice with embellished tans is gradually establishing Omkar as a brilliant performer in the world of Indian Classical Music.

Rajeev Taranath - Sarode
Pandit Rajeev Taranath is a distinguished disciple of the venerated maestro Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. Hailed a prodigy in Hindustani vocal music, he had been earlier trained by his father Pandit Taranath and other eminent musicians and was a concert and radio artist before he was twenty. A Ford Foundation scholar (1989 to 1992) researching the Teaching Techniques of the Maihar-Allauddin Gharana, he has also received guidance from Pandit Ravi Shankar and Vidushi Annapurna Devi. From 1995-2005 he was a faculty member of the music department at the California Insitute of the Arts in Los Angeles, California.

Respected for the clarity of musical understanding that he brings to the unfolding of a raga and the beauty of the tone he evokes from the sarode, his distinctive musicianship demonstrates striking imaginative power, technical excellence and emotional range. He has performed all over India as well as in Australia, Europe, Yemen and throughout the U.S. He has also composed music for several nationally and internationally honored Indian films.

He received the Sangeet Natak Academi Award for 1999-2000, given in recognition of outstanding achievement in the field of Hindustani Instrumental music. In 1998 he received the 'Chowdiah Award for Music' from the Government of Karnataka. He has also received the Karnataka Rajya Prashasti award in 1996 and Karnataka State Sangeet Nritya Akademi Award in 1993.

Rajendra Prasanna - Shehnai
Pandit Rajendra Prasanna hails from the renowned Benaras Gharana and is a master of flute and shehnai. He was groomed by his grand father late Pandit Gauri Shankar and father late Pandit Raghunath Prasanna. He was also guided by his uncles, late Pandit Bholanath Prasanna and late Pandit Vishnu Prasanna.

Known for the unique blend of fluency and melody in his recitals, his systematic ‘bandhat’ with an aesthetic approach has been one of the main qualities of his presentations. Musical environment at home became an inspiration for him and he took to music at a very tender age. It was at the age of twelve that he was invited to the Calcutta Music Conference in 1968. After that, he never looked back.

He regular performer on All India Radio and Doordarshan and other television channels, he is presently working with the National School of Drama, New Delhi. He has given many major music concerts in India and has also performed at France, Belgium, Poland, Germany, UK, Switzerland, Russia, Japan, Mauritius, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and the Middle East.

He was honoured with many prestigious awards including “Surmani” (1978), “Samgeet Pujari” (1986), “Nadaratna” & Rose Award (1994), “Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Academy Award” (1995) “Sangeet Sourabh” (1998) and Sahara India Lifetime Achievement Award (2003).

Anand Kunte - Sarangi
Shri Anand Kunte is a disciple of Ustad Amir Baksh Khan. As a renowned Sarangi artist, he has served the All India Radio for thirty two years.

Shri Kunte has had the privilege of accompanying leading vocalists, tabla players and dancers. As a much sought after Sarangi accompanist, Shri Kunte has participated in a number of concerts at home and abroad.

He was awarded the ITC SRA in year 2003.

Anutosh Degharia - Tabla
Born in 1972 in a musical family in Faniganj near Calcutta, as a child Anutosh was initiated into music by his father Shri Tarapada Degharia, a popular musician in his own right, who was the son of Shri Sivram Degharia, a renowned Pakhawaj player of his time. Subsequently he trained for a few years under Shri Sudhir Roy. In 1989 Ustad Sabir Khan accepted him as his student.

A graduate of Burdwan University and Sangeet Prabhakar from Prayag Sangit Smiti (Allahabad) Anutosh is slowly but surely establishing himself as a versatile tabla player both soloist and accompanist. He has accompanied several reputed artists in several cities of India as well as in countries like Italy, France, Spain etc. He also appears regularly on several TV channels like D.D (National), Zee TV, Asia Music as well as All India Radio.

Manik Munde - Pakhawaj
Manik Munde was trained by Bhakta Ganesh Anna Chaudhari and later by Mahant Pandit Amarnath Mishra. He also learnt from Prof. Govindrao Deshmukh.

In 1981, he joined Ustad Allauddin Khan Sangeet Academy, Bhopal as a pakhawaj player till 1984 when he joined Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya, Khairagarh C.G. He later received a two-year fellowship for research on pakhawaj and allied areas.

Apart from solo performances, he has accompanied dhrupad singers, instrumentalists as well as kathak dancers. He has also experimented playing jugalbandi with tabla and mridangam as well as participating in fusion concerts.

A regular concert performer in India, he has also traveled to Europe, U.K., U.S.A. and Canada and has commercial rcordings with many Dhrupad singers and Instrumentalists.

Since 1995 he has been teaching Pakhawaj privately to students in India and abroad.

Mukundraj Deo - Tabla
Hailing from a musical family, Mukundraj Deo has undergone rigorous training for Tabla from Late Pandit Brijraj Mishra of Banaras Gharana and Pandit Mridangraj of Ajrada Gharana. A first class ‘Sangeet Visharad’ in Tabla from Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, he received the National Scholarship in 1990.

A commerce graduate, he was awarded the title of ‘Talmani’ by Sursingar Samsad, Mumbai in 1993 and the National Fellowship in 1997. An “A” grade artist of All India Radio and Doordarshan, he has written a book on Tabla in Marathi named “Susamvad Tablyashi”. Recently he has been awarded by title “Pandit” bu Savarkar Seva Sanstha, Thane.

Mukundraj has performed solo and as an accompanist of renowned vocalists and and instrumentalists and has many commercial CD and cassette releases. Recently his Tabla solo CD has also been released.

A regular concert performer in india, he has also traveled overseas to different parts of Asia including the Gulf Countries, Japan, UK, USA, Europe and Australia.

Nayan Ghosh - Tabla
Shri Nayan Ghosh’s grooming in the various aspects of Hindustani classical music took place under his father and guru, Padmabhushan Pandit Nikhil Ghosh. He also inherited the musical depth of his elder uncle, legendary flautist Pandit Pannalal Ghosh. Since mid 90’s, Nayan has been receiving guidance in rare compositions and stringed instrumental structures from esteemed sarod maestro Pandit Buddhadev Dasgupta. Nayan Ghosh’s sitar recitals sparkle with intense melodiousness and rich aesthetic delineations, bringing out the depth and true spirit of the raga. His judicious balance of gayaki and tantrakari elements shows his unswerving focus on musical form and beauty. Over the years Nayan Ghosh has performed, lectured and taught extensively across the length and breadth of the Indian sub-continent and in capital cities of Europe, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Far East. His concerts have taken place on such prestigious world forums as the International String Festival in Rome, the Helsinki International Music Festival in Finland, the Athens East-West Music Festival in Greece, the World Music Congress in Germany and the Festival of India at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Nayan Ghosh is equally hailed for his dynamic tabla solos and refined accompaniments. His crisp yet powerful handling of the tabla gives him the distinction of also being one of the most important tabla players in today’s music world.

Shrinivas Acharya - Harmonium
Shrinivas, born and brought up in the family of music lovers having initial training from his mother Mrs. Shailashri Acharya and then for almost twenty years under the wings of veteran let Pandit Vishwanth Pendharkar. Now he is Gundabundha Shishya of Pandit Purushottam Walwalkar, who is imparting lessons since last eight years very affectionately.

Shrinivas is an excellent solo harmonium player having won many prizes in solo harmonium competition including Gold Medal of All India Radio. He has performed in well-known conferences, doordarshan and radio. He is Radio “B High” grade artist.

Shrinivas is not only an excellent solo harmonium player but an equally excellent harmonium accompanist also. He has got opportunies to accompany to Stars of Galaxy like Padmabhushan let Pandit C R Vyas, Padmashri Begum Parween Sultana, Sangit Martand Ustad Dilshad Khan, let Shobha Gurtu, etc. and other talented artists like Pandit Prabhakar Karekar, Ustad Rashid Khan, Pandit Ajit Kadkade, Pandit Suhas Vyas, Smt Devaki Pandit etc. He has also traveled all over the country and UK, Kuwait, Dubai, Morocco, etc., for performances.

Suyog Kundalkar - Harmonium
Suyog Kundalkar started training in harmonium at the age of six from Smt.Ranjana Godse. Since 1997, he has been a devoted student of the renowned harmonium soloist and accompanist, Dr. Arawind Thatte under whom he is receiving specialised training for solo performances. Also a keen student of classical vocal music, Suyog has undertaken lessons in singing from Smt. Lalitabai Khadilkar and Shri.Suhas Datar. He has also attended "tappa" workshops conducted by Pt.Balasaheb Poochwale and Pt. Vasantrao Rajurkar.

A graded artist of All India Radio and Doordarshan, he holds a Bachelor’s degree in music from "Lalit Kala Kendra" of the University of Pune. A regular accompanist at the Sawai Gandharva Music Festival, Pune and other reputed festivals in India, he has toured Switzerland, UK, Australia, UAE and Russia. He has also given solo performances in Pune , Mumbai and Banaras.

In the year 2000, he was awarded the "Rasikagrani Dattopant Deshpande Puraskar", which is an award given to devoted upcoming artists.

Utpal Dutta - tabla
Utpal Dutta was born in a family of musicians and was initiated in the art of tabla playing by his mother Smt. Ratna Dutta a vocalist of repute. His initial formal training started under the guidance of Ustad Sarwat Hussain and later under the internationally acclaimed Tabla maestro, "TAAL YOGI" Pt. Suresh Talwalkar.

He has obtained the degree of 'Sangeetacharya' and broadcasts regularly from All India Radio as an artist of B-High grade. He has so far accmpanied vocalists of repute like Smt. Shobha Gurtu, Smt. Padma Talwalkar, Smt. Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, Smt. Arati Ankalikar, Smt. Devaki Pandit and Pt. Ronu Mazumdar. Utpal has a bright future ahead of him.