Tansen

Considered as the greatest musician in India, Tansen (1506 - 1589) is instrumental in the creation of the classical music that dominates the north of India. He was considered as one of the Navaratnas (Nine Gems) in the court of Emperor Akbar. Tansen was born in a Hindu family in a place called Gwalior located in Madhya Pradesh. His father was a famous poet by the name of Mukund Mishra. Tansen was named Tannu Mishra when he was born. To know more about the fascinating life history of this great musician, go through this biography of Mian Tansen.

He received the prefix "Mian" from Emperor Akbar. As a young boy, Tansen learnt music from his Guru, Shri Haridas Swamy. He was considered to be a legendary teacher of that time. It is said that Tansen has no equal apart from his teacher. Such was his passion for music that he is said to have performed

M.S Subbulakshmi

M.S Subbulakshmi is a name that is synonymous with the world of Carnatic music. This flawless singer whose voice had a divine power is the first singer in India to be presented with the Bharat Ratna, the highest award given to any civilian. Born on 16th September, 1916 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, this singer had a family that had a musical background. Her full name was Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi and she was fondly known as M.S or M.S.S. Her mother tongue was Kannada. Read the life history of M S Subbalakshmi in this short biography.

Pandit Kumar Gandharva

One of the most famous classical musicians in India was undoubtedly Pandit Kumar Gandharva. His real name was Shivaputra Siddharamayya Komkali. Pandit Kumar Gandharva was born on 8th April, 1924 in a place called Dharwad located in Karnataka. The most unique thing about him was that he refused to be tied down by any kind of Gharana and believed in being innovation and trying out his own new styles. The life history of Pandit Kumar Gandharva is truly fascinating. Read this short biography of Pt. Kumara Gandharv.

When he was still very young, Kumar Gandharva was inflicted with the deadly disease Tuberculosis. As a

Bhimsen Joshi

One of the most prominent and legendary Hindustani vocalist living today is of course Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. He can very easily be called a living legend and someone who has not just earned true fans but has also won over critics. Born on 4th February, 1922 in Karnataka, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi is the descendant of Kirana stream of Hindustani classical music. He is famous for the "Khayal", a form of Hindustani classical. Bhimsen Joshi was interested in music since a very young age and at the age of 11 he left home in search of a Guru. Read the fascinating life history of Pt. Bhimsen Joshi in this short biography.

He found the apt teacher for him very close to his house. Under the tutelage of Savai Gandharva he learnt

Dr. Balamuralikrishna

One of the most famous names associated with Classical Carnatic Music is that of Dr. Balamuralikrishna. This legendary musician and Padmabhushan awardee is an able composer, singer, poet and instrumentalist who can sing perfectly in three octaves. He was born on 6th October, 1930 in a place called Sankaraguptam located in Andhra Pradesh. He was named Murali Krishnan by his father. The prefix Bala was given by a Hari Katha performer Musunuri Satyanarayana and thereafter he came to be known as Balamuralikrishna. Read the interesting life history of Dr. M Balamurali Krishnan in this short biography.

Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan

One name that truly epitomizes the 20th century Hindustani classical music tradition is that of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. Often touted as the Tansen of 20th Century, this music maestro has blended the best of classical music and created a unique style of his own. His style of music had an effervescent melodic quality with a sense of enthusiasm. He had one of the most flexible voices, which could easily master the flow of words and deliver the real essence of the song. This great musician has contributed immensely in his short career span. Read his life history in this short biography of Bade Ghulam Ali Khan.

Udit Narayan

Udit Narayan is one of the most popular singers of the Hindi film industry. This multi talented playback singer has sung in numerous films and in many different languages. This great singer was born in a small village named Bharadah in Nepal. His initial years were full of struggles and he started off his career with a brief stint with the Nepal Radio. He used to sing Maithili, Nepali and Bhojpuri songs during the 1970's. By the end of the 70's he moved to Bombay to pursue music under scholarship. He received training in Indian classical music for six years in Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan. Check out his life history with this short biography on Udit Narayanan.