A Hindustani Vocal Recital featuring Smt. Yashaswi Sarpotdar

Date: Saturday, June 7, 2025, 5 PM EST

Venue: India Cultural & Spiritual Center

Tabla: Shri Ramdas Palsule

Harmonium: Sukhada KhireSmt. Yashaswi Sarpotdar

Yashaswi Sirpotdar is undisputedly recognized today as one of the most promising young vocalists in Hindustani classical music. With numerous prestigious awards to her credit and a series of highly acclaimed performances across India's most esteemed music festivals, she has firmly established herself as a distinguished artist in the contemporary concert scene.

Gifted with a mellifluous and a deeply expressive voice, Yashaswi captivates audiences from the very first note. Her charming stage presence, combined with an effortless command over intricate raga structures, makes her a compelling performer. She possesses a rare blend of sophisticated artistry and technical brilliance, demonstrated through her soulful interpretation of compositions, a strong grasp of rhythm (laya and theka), and her exceptionally fast and intricate taans—a testament to her mastery as a singer.

Her musical journey began at an incredibly young age under the guidance of her first guru—her grandmother, Late Kalawati Sathe, a musician herself. At just two and a half years old, Yashaswi gave her first public performance, playing the harmonium while sitting on her grandmother’s lap. This early initiation into music laid the foundation for her lifelong dedication to the art.

She later received advanced training from the renowned Pandita Smt. Padma Talwalkar, under whose tutelage she honed her skills for over 15 years. Her academic achievements include a first-class Sangeet Visharad and a degree in Economics.

Awards & Recognitions

Yashaswi has been honored with several prestigious awards, including:

• Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar by the Sangeet Natak Academy

• Kesarbai Kerkar Scholarship by NCPA

• Aditya Birla Kalakiran Puraskar

• Sur Mani Award by Sur Singar Samsad, Mumbai

• Chhatra Gandharv Puraskar by the Maharashtra State Government

• Pulotsav Award by AGMV & Aashay Sanskrutik Pune

• Graded Artist of All India Radio

Major Performances

She has performed at India’s most prestigious festivals, including:

• Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Mahotsav

• Basavaraj Rajguru Smriti Samaroh, Bangalore

• Aarohi Music Festival, Mumbai

• Naad Bhrama, Mumbai

• Deval Club, Kolhapur

• Ganvardhan, Pune

• NCPA, Mumbai

Shri. Ramdas Palsule

Ramdas Palsule is a popular name amongst Indian Classical Music enthusiasts and has carved a niche for himself since a very young age.

Born in well-educated family in Pune, his father Shri. Gajanan Palsule was a recipient of the prestigious Kalidas Sanman President’s award for his work in Sanskrit literature and for his Sanskrit book on Veer Savarkar. An alumnus of prestigious alma – maters like Jnana PrabodhinPrashala and College of Engineering, Pune, Ramdas has a strong academic foundation. He was introduced to Tabla by Pt. G.L. Samant. Later, he became the disciple of world-famous Tabla Maestro Taalyogi Pandit Suresh Talwalkar. It was after achieving his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering that he chose his passion as his profession.

Ramdas chose his passion over a beaten path and an assured successful career in engineering at the age of twenty-three and ever since has been a devout torchbearer of the illustrious tradition of Indian Classical Music. Under the capable guidance of Taalyogi Pandit Suresh Talwalkar, Ramdas, with his natural ingenuity, relentless toil and insatiable thirst for knowledge made quick strides as an acclaimed soloist and a versatile accompanist.

As a solo artist, Ramdas developed his own style of presenting traditional compositions with a new perspective and fresh thought-process. As his Guru says, “Innovation without the foundation of Tradition becomes superficial and Tradition – without Innovation – becomes outdated.” Ramdas mastered the craft of “Jod-Taal” and “Jaati-Bhed” to acquire unparalleled expertise in these. He earned the praise of connoisseurs and patriarchs alike with his refreshingly vivid style or presentation and is aptly known as a “Riyaazi” (hard-working) artist in the fraternity.

Apart from being a proficient Solo Artist, Ramdas also proved his dexterity as a versatile accompanist with Vocalists, Instrumentalists and Dancers from both, the Hindustani and Carnatic style of Classical Music. Doyens like Pt. Jitendra Abhisheki, Pt. Jasraj, Vidushi Prabha Atre, Vidwan M. Balamuralikrishna, Pt. Shivkumar Sharma, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasiya, Pr. Ram Narayan, Pt. Birju Maharaj and many more trusted him as an able accompanist for their performances the world over.

He has enthralled audiences with his enchanting solo performances as well as accompaniments at prestigious concerts like The Sawai Gandharva Sangeet Mahotsav (Pune), Saptak Festival (Ahmedabad), All India Radio, and SPICMACAY, Isha Foundation’s Yaksha 2020, Dussehra Festival (Mysuru), All Bengal Festival (Kolkata), Tansen Mahotsav (Gwalior), Kalidas Festival (Ujjain), Pt. Abhisheki Mahotsav (Goa) and many more.

He also has performed in countries like U.S.A., Canada, U.K., Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Australia, many countries in Africa, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Gulf Countries.

Besides being an artist of repute himself, Ramdas is an avid academic. His rich educational background helps him understand the nuances of learning and teaching alike. A strong advocate of the Guru Shishya Parampara – he believes that Art needs to be ingrained with Sanskar. Ramdas ji imparts training to the younger generation of students of Tabla free of cost. Since 1992, many students from all over India and abroad have been learning from him and a number of them have also made their mark in the field of Classical Music as performers.

He is serves as a Guru at The Lalit Kala Kendra (Center for Performing Arts) of University of Pune since 1997, and at Bharti Vidyapeeth School of Performing Arts. Ramdas is a founding member and Guru at Avartan Gurukul, a unique Gurukul started in Pune in 2016. He insists on nourishing and nurturing students not only as accomplished artists, but beyond that as humble, cultured and judicious citizens who would add value to the Nation and the society at large. This only underlines his dedication and devotion towards the cause of Indian Classical Music and his genuine urge to make a difference to the society at large.

Since 2001, Ramdas also has been arranging concerts in North America thereby providing a platform for Indian Musicians and Dancers as well as propagating Indian Classical Music. Thanks to him, music aficionados in America have been treated to the performances of amazing artists like Pt. Sanjeev Abhyankar, Ustad Shahid Parvez, Pt. Parthosarathy Chowdhary, VidwanM. Manjunath, Smt. Savani Shende, Pt. Uday Bhawalkar and many others.

Besides music, as a socially responsible citizen, he has been organizing a Blood Donation Camp every year since 2001. In collaboration with Rotary Club of Pune Westend and Maharashtra Mandal (Bay Area, California, USA), he helped raise funds for musicians who were economically affected due to CoVid-19 Pandemic under project “Saath”. He was also one of the organizers of a concert namely “Artist for Artist” to help all the instruments makers in flood-affected Sangli-Kolhapur areas in 2019.

Thus, Ramdas Palsule is way beyond an imminent artist. He is a humble student, a passionate teacher, an intellectual academic, zealous entrepreneur and most importantly a suave ambassador for Indian Classical Music. He is indeed a role – model for generations to come.

Sukhada Khire

Sukhada is a young, talented, and recognized musician in India, known as a Harmonium Player. With her versatility, she plays the Harmonium as an accompanist for various classical and semi-classical vocalists. Sukhada also accompanies many Tabla and Pakhawaj soloists, as well as Kathak dancers. Additionally, she has begun performing solo Harmonium concerts on various platforms.

Sukhada’s musical journey began at a very young age. She started learning Hindustani vocal and harmonium from her first guru, Mrs. Anjali Pokshe, a disciple of the late Shobha Abhyankar ji. Later, she became a disciple of the world-renowned Harmonium Guru, Pt. Pramod Marathe. For more than 15 years, she has been receiving guidance from Pt. Pramod Marathe in Pune, India.

She has completed a Master’s degree in Music from S.N.D.T. University, which has provided her with extensive knowledge in Indian classical music accompaniment and teaching. Sukhada is a graded artist of All India Radio.

Sukhada contributes to Hindustani music by teaching many students on various platforms. She has been conducting online Harmonium classes for over 12 years. Her students are spread across the USA, Europe, the UK, Australia, and India.

Major Performances:

She has accompanied many great Hindustani music maestros, including:

• Pt. Raghunandan Panshikar
• Yashaswi Sirpotdar
• Dr. Pournima Dhumale
• Smt. Pallavi Pote
• Vidushi Manjusha Patil

Sukhada has also performed with young and talented musicians like Mugdha Vaishampayan, Chitrangana Argade (a famous Pakhawaj maestro), Saurabh Kadgaonkar, Mrudula Tambe, Atul Khandekar, Meher Paralikar, Viraj Joshi, Sachin Pawgi, and many more.