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.

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