Hindustani Classical Recital held 

Hyderabad, April 7, 2024: Surmangadal in association with Telangana Tourism organised a Hindustani Classical Recital of Pt. Shubhendra Roa on Sitar and Vidushi Dr. Ashwini Bhide on Vocal, as a part of Morning Raaga at Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University(JNAFAU) at Masab Tank, Opp Mahavir Hospital, Hyderabad on Sunday.

 
Pt. Shubhendra Rao, an internationally acclaimed performer, composer, cultural entrepreneur and music educator enthralled the audience. 

His relentless service in promoting Indian music has made him a highly respected figure in the field of music across the world. A protégé of Bharat Ratna Pandit Ravi Shankar, Pandit Rao has established himself “not only as a master of his instrument but also as a thinking musician” and “a musical bridge to many cultures. Internationally, he has performed at major music festivals and prestigious concert halls including the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, Sydney Opera House, Salzburg International Music Festival, National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing and Theatre de la Ville in Paris. As a composer, Rao distinguishes himself by pushing the boundaries of classical music and creating music for artists across cultures. When Gods Meet and Apa Deepo Bhava was commissioned by Padma Vibhushan Dr Sonal Mansingh.
 

The New York Times described his composition, Yathra, as ‘movingly meditative’. His composition, Ekta, to honour German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to India was described as ‘exemplifying the very best in the musical traditions of the East & West’. Leading magazines and newspapers like India Today, The Hindu and Indian Express invite Rao to write articles as an expert on music and music education. A co-founder of the Shubhendra and Saskia Rao Foundation, he is working tirelessly to revolutionize music education in India. Together with his wife, Saskia Ra, who has authored India’s first-ever music curriculum for children, Sangeet4All, they are transforming the way music is taught in schools in India.
 

Vidushi Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, a celebrated Hindustani classical vocalist known for her nuanced and intellectually driven approach to music also performed abd took audience by storm with his impeccable performance 

Born in Mumbai, she comes from a musical lineage and initially trained within the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana tradition. Her curiosity for knowledge led her to pursue a PhD in Biochemistry, even working as a scientist for a time. However, music remained her true calling, and she eventually dedicated herself fully to the art form.
 

Accompanying Pt. Ram Kumar Mishra was Shri Tanay Rege on Tabla and Dnyaneshwar Sonawane on Harmonium.
 

Ramkumar Mishra is an Indian tabla player. He belongs to Banaras Gharana.
 

Tanay Rege is a disciple of Shri Praveen Karkare and Pandit Yogesh Samsi. A master in Music (MA) and scholarship holder of the Ministry of Culture, Citi NCPA and CCRT (Central Government) he has performed solos at Prestigious Festivals all over the country.
 

Fascinated with the world of Swar and Taal right from his childhood days in Nashik, Dnyaneshwar was deeply drawn towards Indian music from the early age of five. Pursuing this inclination, he started training in Harmonium from the renowned Harmonium player Bapu Kulkarni of Nashik, for nearly eight years, gaining knowledge of basic playing techniques and structures of the Gayaki (Vocal music styles) in Hindustani Raag Sangeet.