A Hindustani Classical Vocal Concert featuring Smt. Madhuvanti Bhide

Date: Saturday, Nov 7, 2026, 8:30 AM EDT

Venue: India Spiritual & Cultural Center

$50.00 per ticket

Tabla: Shri. Suryaksha Deshpande

Harmonium: Shri Praneet Marathe

About the artists

Smt. Madhuvanti Bhide

Madhuvanti Bhide is an established Hindustani classical vocalist, performer, and music educator. Based in San Jose, California, she has been active in the music industry for over 15 years, performing globally and teaching students across the San Francisco Bay Area.

Early Life and Training

Born and raised in Pune, India, Bhide showed an early passion for music. She began her formal musical training at age 13 under N.V. Diwan. Her training reached a turning point at age 15 when she began an intensive, 9-year mentorship under the renowned Dr. Alka Deo Marulkar. She also studied under the late Pandit Rajabhau Deo.

Bhide holds a Bachelor of Arts in Performing Arts from the University of Pune and earned the prestigious Sangeet Visharad degree in Hindustani Raga Sangeet from the Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal. Her talent was also recognized with a scholarship from the Government of India.

Musical Style and Career

Bhide's unique musical style is steeped in Samagra Gayaki—an intricate aesthetic synthesis of the Gwalior, Kirana, and Jaipur gharanas (traditions) developed by her gurus. While classical khayal singing is her main focus, she performs a versatile range of South Asian genres, including semi-classical film music, light classical forms (Hindi and Marathi geet and ghazals), and devotional or fusion music.

She released her debut Marathi music album, Ase Sur Gave, in 2010. In addition to her international performances, she has dedicated nearly two decades to running her own music school in the Bay Area, passing down her pedagogical lineage to the next generation of vocalists.

Suryaksha Deshpande
Suryaksha Deshpande is an accomplished Hindustani classical tabla player, soloist, and educator. Currently based in New Jersey, United States, he is recognized for his technical proficiency, subtle accompaniment style, and work in preserving traditional Indian percussion styles.

Early Life and Background

Born in 1977, Deshpande grew up in an intellectually and musically rich environment. His father, Prakash Deshpande, is a retired professor of English and a well-known Marathi writer and critic, while his mother, Hema Deshpande, is a classical vocalist of the Agra Gharana.

Balancing his academic interests with intensive musical training, Deshpande graduated with a degree in science. However, his deep commitment to music led him to secure a Masters Degree in Tabla (Tabla Alankar) from the Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal, ranking first class across India.

Musical Lineage and Training

Deshpande’s training spans over 25 years of rigorous practice under prominent scholars of different tabla traditions:

• Farrukhabad Gharana: He learned under Pandit Arvind Mulgaonkar, an eminent scholar and senior disciple of Ustad Amir Hussain Khan Sahab. This training grounded him in traditional, language-oriented tabla compositions.

• Delhi Gharana: He expanded his technical range by studying the "Delhi Baaz" style under Pandit Sudhir Mainkar, a notable musicologist.

Through this dual lineage, Deshpande developed a unique performance style that blends the structured language of the Farrukhabad tradition with the fluid expansion techniques of the Delhi Gharana, interspersed with folk influences.

Career and Achievements

Deshpande is a highly requested accompanist and an "A" Grade artist for All India Radio and Doordarshan. Over his career, he has performed globally and shared the stage with legendary stalwarts of Indian classical music, including Dr. N. Rajam, Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar, Smt. Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande, and Ghazal maestro Ustad Ghulam Ali.

His notable career highlights include:

• Awards: He received the prestigious V.D. Paluskar Award in Mumbai, alongside a National Scholarship and a Junior Artist Fellowship from the Government of India's Department of Culture.

• Folk Fusion: He conceptualized unique stage performances pairing the traditional classical tabla with the dholki, a popular Indian folk percussion instrument.

• Music Education: He is the founder and president of the Anubhooti School of Indian Classical Music in New Jersey, where he conducts regular academic workshops, lectures, and training programs to pass down his heritage to the next generation.

Praneet Marathe

Praneet Marathe is a distinguished Hindustani classical harmonium player, educator, and arts administrator. He is best known as a global proponent of Indian classical music and the founder of the first international branch of the historic Gandharva Mahavidyalaya.

Early Life and Musical Training

Born into a family deeply rooted in musical heritage, Marathe began his musical journey at the age of six, inspired by his parents. His intensive training came under the guidance of his father, Pandit Pramod Marathe (a renowned harmonium exponent), and his mother, Smt. Parineeta Marathe (an experienced vocalist and harmonium teacher).

Displaying early talent, he performed his debut concert at just 12 years old. In 2012, his expertise was recognized by the Government of India, which awarded him a prestigious national scholarship in the field of Harmonium from the Ministry of Culture.

Performance Career

Marathe has built a global reputation as an elite harmonium accompanist, sharing the stage with some of the most eminent maestros in Hindustani classical music. He has accompanied prominent artists such as Dr. Arun Dravid, Pandit Shounak Abhisheki, Pandit Shriniwas Joshi, and Smt. Indrani Mukherjee.

He regularly performs on major international and national platforms, including:

• The Pune Festival and Yuva Sangeet Samaroh (India)

• All India Radio concerts

• Ragamala, the prominent overnight Indian classical music showcase in the United States

Leadership and Innovation

Driven to spread Hindustani music education globally, Marathe expanded the reach of the 1932-established Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Pune. In 2023, he founded Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, North America, where he serves as the Executive and Artistic Director. Through this organization, he hosts nationwide classical music competitions and organizes workshops to provide visibility to young musicians across the U.S. and Canada.

In addition to teaching, Marathe is a modern innovator who focuses on making music education digitally accessible. He developed "Swarlipi," a digital-friendly notation system, alongside structured online learning frameworks designed to help students master basic and advanced musical concepts remotely. Alongside his musical endeavors, he also works in marketing analytics within the healthcare sector.