Indian Classical Singers

The art of classical singing has been practiced in the Indian subcontinent since ages. The art is popular, not as a form of entertainment, but as a means of connecting with the Divine Being. Infact, it is considered as one of the basic ways through which a human being can connect with God. The distinct forms of melodies sung by classical singers are known as 'Ragas'. Some of these Ragas are said to have a divine quality in them, which helps an individual in meditating.

Hindustani music, one of the two principal types of South Asian classical music, found mainly in the northern three-fourths of the subcontinent, where Indo-Aryan languages are spoken. The most prominent instruments of Hindustani music are the sitar, sarod, sarangi, shehnai, tabla and tambura.

In this section, we have provided a brief biography of the famous Hindustani male singers of India.

Ustad Amjad Ali Khan

Amjad Ali Khan is an Indian classical singer and teacher of Kirana Gharana. He has performed all over the world and is the founder of Kirana Gharana Music Academy that teaches students classical music. Ustad Amjad Ali Khan Bangash is an eminent Indian Sarod player. For his great achievements in taking the Sarod places, he is popularly known as the ‘Sarod Samrat’. Born into a family of classical musicians and Sarod players, Amjad went on to modify the instrument and often experimented with it, and this helped him outshine many stalwarts. He has taken Sarod to great heights by collaborating with many western musicians. He is also credited with spreading the knowledge about this classical instrument all over the world. Ustad Amjad Ali Khan continues to teach Sarod to students across the globe.

Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan

Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan was an Indian Hindustani classical vocalist, from the Patiala gharana. One name that truly epitomizes the Hindustani classical music of the 20th century is that of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. Often touted as the Tansen of the 20th century, this musical genius blended the best of classical music and created a unique style of his own. His style of singing had an effervescent melodic quality with a sense of enthusiasm. He had one of the most open-ended voices, which could easily master the flow of words while delivering the real essence of the song. This great musician made a huge contribution to the field of Hindustani classical music in his short career span.

Dr. Balamuralikrishna

One of the most famous names associated with Classical Carnatic Music is that of Dr. Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna. This legendary musician was also an able composer, playback singer, poet, actor and multi-instrumentalist. Apart from working with famous Indian musicians like Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia and Kishori Amonkar, he also worked with several foreign musicians. Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna performed all over the world including countries like US, UK, France, Russia, Canada, Italy, Singapore and Malaysia among many other nations. Apart from having a successful career as a Carnatic musician, Balamuralikrishna also dominated the South Indian filmdom for many years. He is also credited for having created many ragas and talas and that puts him in a league of his own.

Bhimsen Joshi

Bhimsen Gururaj Joshi also known by the honorific prefix Pandit, was one of the greatest Indian vocalists from Karnataka, in the Hindustani classical tradition. He is known for the khayal form of singing, as well as for his popular renditions of devotional music (bhajans and abhangs). Bhimsen Joshi, a legend belongs to the Kirana gharana tradition of Hindustani Classical Music. Pt. Joshi is noted for his concerts, and between 1964 to 1982 Joshi toured Afghanistan, Italy, France, Canada and USA. He was the first musician from India whose concerts were advertised through posters in New York city, United States. Bhimsen Joshi was instrumental in organising the Sawai Gandharva Music Festival annually, as homage to his guru, Pandit Sawai Gandharva. Joshi's performances have been acknowledged by music critics such as S. N. Chandrashekhar of the Deccan Herald to be marked by spontaneity, accurate notes, dizzyingly-paced taans which make use of his exceptional voice training, and a mastery over rhythm.

Pandit Ravi Shankar

Pandit Ravi Shankar was an Indian musician and composer, best known for popularizing the Indian classical instrument Sitar all over the world. Shankar grew up studying music and toured as a member of his brother's dance troupe. After serving as the director of All-India Radio, he began to tour India and the United States. In the process, he collaborated with many notable musicians, including George Harrison and Philip Glass. He even collaborated with the famous band ‘The Beatles’, popularizing Sitar to a greater extent. Honored with three highest Indian civilian awards, Shankar passed away in California in December 2012, at the age of 92.

Tansen

Tansen, also referred to as Tan Sen or Ramtanu Pandey, was a prominent figure of Hindustani classical music. Born in a Hindu family, he learned and perfected his art in the northwest region of modern Madhya Pradesh. Considered as the greatest musician in India, Tansen is credited with the creation of the classical music that dominates the north of India (Hindustani classical music). Tansen was a vocalist and instrumentalist who created many ragas. He was initially the court singer of King Ram Chand of Rewa State. It is said that Emperor Akbar made him into his own musician after learning about his extraordinary musical skills. He went on to become one of the Navaratnas (Nine Gems) in the court of Mughal Emperor Akbar. The life of Tansen is associated with many legends. Some of the most common ones are his ability to create rain and fire by just using his musical skills. Whatever the legends may be, there is no denying the fact that he was the greatest among all musicians this country has ever produced.

Ustad Zakir Hussain

Popularly known as the Tabla Maestro, Ustad Zakir Hussain is arguably the most famous Tabla player of our country in the post-independence era. Over the years, he has performed with many talented musicians not just in India but also across the world. He became a famous international celebrity after taking the sounds of Tabla to many international festivals and shows. This eventually flooded him with opportunities to work in many international movies as well. This led to the creation of brilliant works of fusion, which was new to both Indian and overseas audiences. Overall, his contribution towards popularizing Indian percussion is immense.