Samrat Pandit

Samrat Pandit
Samrat with a swarmandal (Indian harp)
Samrat performing in Mumbai in 2014
Background information
Also known asSamrat
Born1982 (age 41–42)
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
GenresHindustani classical music : khayal, thumri, tappa, bhajan
OccupationVocalist
Years active2001–present
LabelsQuestz World
Websitesamratpandit.com

Samrat Pandit (born in 1982) is an Indian classical vocalist. He sings khyal (pure classical genre) in the Patiala gharana (singing style), and semi-classical like thumri and Tappa.[1][2]

Early life

Samrat Pandit was born in Kolkata, India. He belongs to a family of musicians and is the 6th generation from his family into music.[2] He was taught music by his father, Jagdish Prasad, a Hindustani classical singer, himself a direct disciple of Bade Ghulam Ali Khan.[3]

At age five, Samrat participated in the "Bal Kalakar" program of All India Radio in Bhopal.[4] He started touring with his father when he was adolescent[citation needed], accompanying him on stage.[5][6]

His mother, Sandhya Pandit, an English teacher at Kendriya Vidyalaya (Central Government school), accompanies him on stage, playing the tanpura.[7]

Career

Samrat launched his solo career in 2001, while continuing to offer vocal support in his father’s performances.[8] He is a certified All India Radio artist since 2009. He participated in TV shows accompanying his father and as a solo artist, in local channels Om Bangla TV, government channel Doordarshan and national channel Zee 24 Taas[citation needed].

He did his first solo album in 2012 "Patiala Prince", released with the support of Girija Devi, Satish Vyas, Samresh Chowdhury and Rashid Khan.[9][10]

Samrat sings thumri, bhajan, tappa and khyal.

Performances in India

He performed at the Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Festival as a solo artist in Pune, in 2012[3] and 2017.[11][12]

He also performed at the Thumri Festival in Delhi, organized by Sahitya Kala Parishad, department of Art, culture and languages of the Government of Delhi, at Kamani Auditorium.[13] In his native Kolkata, Samrat appeared in notable venues including the ITC Sangeet Research Academy in 2010 and the Salt Lake Music Conference in 2011. He performed with other musicians like Ramdas Palsule, Dilshad Khan[14] and Ramkumar Mishra.[15]

Tours

Samrat Pandit singing at Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Festival, Pune 2012
  • 2013 Europe : he participated in the fusion project of Nevcivan Özel in Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall, one of Turkey's major concert halls.[16]
  • 2015 North America and Europe, including concerts in London and Toronto.[17][18]
  • 2016 Europe : he was the first khayal singer to perform in the country of Lithuania in the capital Vilnius.[19]
  • 2018 Europe including shows in Germany and Greece

Music influences

Samrat's musical influences are his father Jagdish Prasad, Barkat Ali Khan, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Bhimsen Joshi, Ali Akbar Khan, Ravi Shankar, and the Ghazal[20] He also listens to other musicians including Michael Jackson, and he appreciates world music and Balkan music.[21]

Personal life

Samrat has graduated in English at the University of Calcutta. He is also an ex-boxer and likes physical activities. He appreciates adventure sports like mountain hiking and still does yoga.[21]

Award

Samrat receiving Award from the state of Maharastra

He received the Sangeet Shiromani Award from the governor of Maharashtra in 2014.[2][22][23]

Discography

  • 2009: In rare moods with Pandit Jagdish Prasad - double DVD
  • 2012: Patiala Prince
  • 2016: Live in Goa - DVD
  • 2017: Live in Delhi

References

  1. ^ Athavale, Dileep. "Sawai has something for connoisseurs & amateurs - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Bhattacharya, Adrija (8 December 2014). "Career In Indian Classical Music". Youngisthan.in. youngisthan.in. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  3. ^ a b Rege, Omkar (16 December 2012). "Strings that stir the soul". DNA. No. Pune. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  4. ^ "Samrat Pandit | sawai gandharva bhimsen mahotsav". sawaigandharvabhimsenmahotsav.com. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  5. ^ Ganesh, Deepa (20 March 2003). "His master's voice". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 7 May 2003. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  6. ^ Kumar, Kuldeep (20 August 2015). "Festival like a breeze, music like rains". The Hindu. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  7. ^ Samrat Pandit(vocal), Pradhyut Roy(tabla), Kamalaksha Mukhopadhyay(harmonium), Sandhya Pandit(tanpura). Yaad piya ki aaye (TV music show) (in Bengali and English). Kolkata: OM Bangla TV. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  8. ^ "The Telegraph - Calcutta : Metro". www.telegraphindia.com. Archived from the original on 16 March 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2007.
  9. ^ Mondal, Proloy (16 June 2012). "Patiala prince CD – Samrat Pandit". samratpandit.com. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  10. ^ World, Questz. "Questz World - Detailed Catalog" (PDF). questz.world. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  11. ^ Khanna, Shailaja (29 December 2017). "Myriad moods of maestros". The Hindu. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  12. ^ "Attend Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Mahotsav - Pune Mirror -". Pune Mirror. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  13. ^ "Thumri Festival at Kamani Auditorium, Copernicus Marg, New Delhi". Delhi Watcher. 29 August 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  14. ^ Pandit, Shiladitya. "Sawai audience fills up its senses with best of vocals, instrumental - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  15. ^ "Private concert 2014 - 70 years Birthday of the ghazal maestro Madhurani". Samrat Pandit website. 25 May 2014.
  16. ^ İletişim, İstanbul (13 January 2013). "Nevcivan Özel Project "Makamların Dilinden İki Mızrap İki Nefes" - Konser Parti - istanbul.net.tr, Kültür Sanat Etkinlikleri, Konser Tiyatro İstanbul Şehir Rehberi". istanbul.net.tr İstanbul şehir rehberi. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  17. ^ Murnaghan, Kent (April 2015). "A festival of Tansen's raags at the Aga Khan Museum | Raag – Mala". e-desinews.com. Desi News. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  18. ^ "The Bhavan Newsletter April/May 2015". issuu. The Bhavan's news. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  19. ^ Lomonosovas, Anatolijus (7 November 2016). "Vyks Aštuntasis tarptautinis Indijos klasikinio meno festivalis SurSadhana 2016 - Garsas / Sound". radikaliai.lt. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  20. ^ Bhattacharya, Adrija (13 June 2015). "Ranjish Hi Sahi... Gen Next Pays Tribute to Mehdi Hassan". The Quint. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  21. ^ a b Did you know this Samrat?, archived from the original on 28 August 2017, retrieved 14 January 2018
  22. ^ Sri Shanmukhananda Fine Arts & Sangeetha Sabha, Mumbai. "List of awardees". shanmukhananda.com. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  23. ^ Raag-Mala, Music society of Toronto. "Artists | Raag – Mala". raagmala.ca. Retrieved 7 August 2016.