A Hindustani Vocal Concert featuring Pt. Sanjeev Abhyankar

Date: April 6, 2025, 5:00 PM at India Cultural and Spiritual Center

Tabla: Shri Sanjay Deshpande

Harmonium: Shri Abhishek Shinkar

Pt Sanjeev Abhyankar

Pandit Sanjeev Abhyankar, the Maestro from the Mewati Gharana, is an artist of international acclaim in the field of Hindustani Classical and Devotional Music.  He is an Iconic singer of his generation. An extremely popular artist, he has been the inspiration for the last few generations. In a career spanning over 30years, he has assumed the mantle of a role model of dedication, hard work, patience and perseverance.

Blessed with an exceptionally sweet voice, his vocation in life was clear right from the age of three.  Born on the 5th October 1969, Sanjeev started learning Hindustani Classical Music, from the tender age of eight. His mother Dr. Smt.Shobha Abhyankar, Pandit Pimpalkhare ji of the Gwalior Gharana and Padmavibhushan Pandit Jasraj ji of the Mewati Gharana have groomed him.

In 1981, Sanjeev, the child prodigy, rendered his first stage performance in Mumbai, at the age of eleven. Since then, he has traveled extensively all over the country performing in all the prestigious conferences and art circles, several times. He has a distinction of performing in over 200 different cities all over the world till date. He has spread the fragrance of Indian Classical music in U.S.A., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

As a composer, he has several classical and devotional compositions to his credit. Many of his compositions which is a recording of over fourteen hours, are free downloadable on his website www.sanjeevabhyankar.com. As a Guru he is imparting his knowledge to selected talented students. His students have also started making a mark in the field of classical music.

He has received many awards which include the President award and the Top grade from the All India Radio, the prestigious Kumar Gandharva National Award 2008 by Govt. of Madhya Pradesh, the coveted National Award 1998 as the best male playback singer for the Hindi film Godmother, F.I.E. Foundation National Award in 1996, the title Sur-Ratna and the Pandit Jasraj Gaurav Puraskar, Gan-Saraswati Kishori Amonkar Puraskar, to name a few.

He has recorded over 100 albums by all the reputed music labels, which have been highly acclaimed all over the world.

Sanjeev has rendered the entire “Dasbodh” containing 7800 verses for an audio book project by the Govt of Maharashtra.

Shri. Sanjay Deshpande

Sanjay Deshpande is a talented Tabla Player based in Pune, INDIA. He was born in a music loving family and was introduced to the art of playing Tabla under Late Pt. Sabade at Pune Bharat Gayan Samaj. Later he took Taleem (lessons) from the renowned Tabla player Pt. Suresh Talwalkar of  Delhi-Farookabad  Gharana, in a Guru Shishya Parampara .He also had the privilege of understanding the beauty of Punjab Gharana  under the guidance of  world renowned Tabla maestro Ustad. AllaRakha Khan Saheb and Pt.Yogesh Samsi. At present he is taking Taleem from Pt. Vivek Joshi.

Sanjay is recipient of the coveted “Ahmedjaan Thirakwaa Scholarship” for Solo Performance. He has accompanied renowned artists like Smt. Vasundhara Komkali, Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar, Pt. Smt. Malini Rajurkar, Pt. Jasraj, Dr. Prabha Atre, Pt. DinkarKaikini, Dr. Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande , Smt. Veena Sahastrabudhe and many such great artists.

He has performed in major conferences such as Sawai Gandharwa Music FestivalPune, Paluskar Smarak Conference, Shankarlal Samaroha in New Delhi, I.T.C. Sangeet Sammelan . Dowerlane Conference, Kolkata.

Sanjay has performed abroad in Countries like U.S.A, U.K, U.A.E,Canada, Australia, Switzerland, Russia,Belgim, Holland, Qatar, Israel, South Korea etc. He has also participated in the “World Vocal Festival” in  Sweden.

He is empanelled as GURU at the Lalit Kala Kendra, University of Pune and Bharati Vidyapeeth Pune. He has number of  recordings released. His fusion album “Wind From Ayuta” with Korean musicians won the Best album award of the year - 2002 in South Korea.

Shri Abhishek Shinkar

Abhishek Shinkar comes from the family of music lovers and connoisseurs.

He started learning music at an early age. He took primary lessons of music from Shankar Mahajan for 8 years. Later on he carried his training for vocal and harmonium under the guidance of Pt. Nathrao Neralkar at Aurangabad for next 5 years under Gurushishya Parampara.

Post that, he has been taking formal lessons for harmonium under the tutelage of Pt. Pramod Marathe at Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Pune under Gurushishya Parampara for the past 5 years, which still continues. He is also fortunate to receive guidance from Taalyogi Pt. Sureshji Talwalkar.

He has accompanied various artist of great repertoire at many prestigious concerts, Pt. Suresh Talwalkar, Pt. Nathrao Neralkar, Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar, Pt. Vijay Ghate, Pt. Ramdas Palsule, Vidushi Kalapini Komkali, Pandita Padma Talwalkar, Pt. Raghunandan Panshikar, Shri Bhuvanesh Komkali,

Pt. Supreet Deshpande, Smt. Manjusha Patil Kulkarni, Smt. Devaki Pandit to name a few. He had also performed solo concerts at various occasions, at NCPA Mumbai, Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Pune to name a few.

Apart from this he has done his Masters of Arts in harmonium and is also a visharad in harmonium and vocal. He also has many awards and recognition to his name out of which few are:

1. Pt Vishnu Digamber Paluskar Scholarship, Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, Pune

2. Secured first position in National Youth festival for Harmonium

3. Pt. D.V. Paluskar Award, Sharda Sangeet Vidyalaya, Mumbai

4. Scholarship from Ministry if Culture, India