Nachiketa Sharma
Hailing from Dharwad, Karnataka, Nachiketa Sharma was initiated into Hindustani classical vocal music by his parents. His formal study began in Madras under Shri B. N. Simha and later under Shri B. Hanumantachar. His rigorous and extended pedagogy came under the virtuoso late Padmabhushan Pandit Basavraj Rajguru. Nachiketa has performed in several cities across India and the United States. He is a resident of the San Francisco Bay Area and a teacher at the Ali Akbar College of Music.
Vasant Kanakapur
A harmonium player of celebrated eminence, Vasant Kanakapur is a native of Dharwad. He received his initial training from the age of five under Shri R. G. Desai and Shri Gopalrao Desai of Hubli and was further trained under the late Shri Hanumantrao Walvekar of Dharwad. He provided his first accompaniment to Surshri Kesarbai Kerkar at the age of eleven. Vasant Kanakapur has accompanied on the harmonium a galaxy of reputed musicians such as Ustad Amir Khan, Pt. Mallikarjun Mansur, Pt. Basavraj Rajguru, Smt. Gangubai Hangal, Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, Smt. Kishori Amonkar, Smt. Parveen Sultana, Smt. Prabha Atre and Pt. Rasiklal Andharia.
He is the recipient of several titles and awards such as Karnataka Kala Tilaka from the Sangeeta Nritya Akademi, the prestigious state award from the government of Karnataka, Manjusharatna from the the government of Maharashtra and Nadashree from Karnataka Kalakar Mandal. Kanakapur is a retired staff artiste from All India Radio, Dharwad.
Ravindra Yavagal
Ravindra Yavagal is widely acclaimed as an able tabla artist. He has risen to fame over the years after receiving expert guidance at his native Hubli, Karnataka, from his father, the late Shri Ramachandra Yavagal, Shri Veeranna Kamkar and Pandit Sheshagiri Hangal, under whom Yavagal continues to learn. He was also fortunate to have studied under Pandit Lalji Gokhale, guru of Pandit Hangal and student of Ustad Ahmed Jan Thirakwa. Yavagal has accompanied a plethora of master musicians globally. He is a grade one staff tabla artist at All India Radio, Bangalore.