Free lunchtime vocal performance by Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, Vinod Kumar Lele, Vinay Kumar Mishra And Dhanashri Ghaisas

Registration: 11:45 am
Performance: 12:00 pm
Close: 1:30 pm

Dr. Ashwini Bhide Deshpande is a vocalist from the famed "Jaipur-Atrauli" Khayal Gayaki tradition. Her musicianship is characterized by a blend of tonal sweetness coupled with vitality, emotions, and raga structure-architecture. Dr. Bhide Deshpande's delineation shows an unerring grasp over the grammar of the raga yet maintains soulfulness in her singing. Although a classicist by temperament and training, Dr. Bhide Deshpande is equally at ease with lighter varieties like Thumri-Dadra and Bhajans/Abhangs. Her fluency in Sanskrit further enriches her repertoire by the inclusion of stotras/stutis.

Dr. Bhide Deshpande's contribution to Hindustani classical vocal music has been acknowledged by way of awards and citations. She is recipient of the Government of Maharashtra "Sanskritik Puraskar" for 2011 and the Sahyadri Doordarshan "Sangeet Ratna" Puraskar for 2010. She was honored with the "Pandit Jasraj Gaurav Puraskar" on the occasion of the 75th birthday celebrations of the Maestro. She was awarded the "Rashtriya Kumar Gandharva Samman" in 2005 by the Government of Madhya Pradesh — the first female Hindustani vocalist to have been decorated with this prestigious national award. Ashwiniji is currently stationed in Mumbai.

Vinod Kumar Lele learned the art of tabla playing from his guru, Pt. Kashinath Khandekar — from the Banaras gharana, epitomised by the style of the celebrated Pt. Anokhe Lalji. Pt. Vinod Lele has toured New Zealand, Australia, Holland, Switzerland, Belgium, Austria, Germany, Hong Kong and Japan several times for performances and lecture demonstrations on Indian classical music. He has won the first prize for tabla in the UP State Sangeet Natak Academy music competition in 1982. He has also won the first prize in the AIR music competition in 1983 and is a top Grade artist of AIR & on TV.

Vinay Kumar Mishra's musical training started in the early childhood under the guidance of his grandfather Sri Raja Ram Mishra. He was fortunate to learn the harmonium under the guidance of Pt. Appa Shaheb Jalgaonkar for three years. Vinayji has accompanied many eminent artists such as, Pt. Rajan Sajan Mishra, Pt. Ajay Pohankar, Goswami Gokulotsava Maharaj, Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar, and Pt. Baldev Raj Verma. Vinayji completed his graduation and M.A in Music from Banaras Hindu University and Delhi University respectively and is now pursuing Ph.D in Delhi University.

Dhanashri Ghaisas has been a disciple of Guru Ashwiniji since 2005 and has performed all across India, including performances at the National Center for Performing Arts (Mumbai), Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalay (Vashi & Pune), All India Radio and Doordarshan. She is the recipient of numerous awards such as the Late Seetaram Dixit and Malati Dixit award for Semi-classical music, President's Gold Medal from All India Radio as well as scholarships from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, the Sawai Gandharva Scholarship and the Late Ushatai Muzumdar scholarship.

Co-presented with SPIC MACAY Hong Kong and Indian Council for Cultural Relation