Veena Sahasrabuddhe is a leading Indian vocalist and composer of Hindustani classical music

Hindustani classical music

Hindustani classical music is the Hindustani or North Indian style of Indian classical music found throughout the northern Indian subcontinent. The style is sometimes called North Indian Classical Music or Shāstriya Sangeet...

. Her singing style has its roots in Gwalior gharana

Gharana

In Hindustani music, a gharānā is a system of social organization linking musicians or dancers by lineage or apprenticeship, and by adherence to a particular musical style. A gharana also indicates a comprehensive musicological ideology. This ideology sometimes changes substantially from one...

, but it also borrows from Jaipur

Jaipur

Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....

 and Kirana gharanas.
Veena is known as a singer of khyal

Khyal

Khyal is the modern genre of classical singing in North India. Its name comes from an Arabic word meaning "imagination". It is thought to have developed out of the qawwali singing style. It appeared more recently than dhrupad, is a more free and flexible form, and it provides greater scope for...

 and bhajan

Bhajan

A Bhajan is any type of Indian devotional song. It has no fixed form: it may be as simple as a mantra or kirtan or as sophisticated as the dhrupad or kriti with music based on classical ragas and talas. It is normally lyrical, expressing love for the Divine...

.

Musical career

Veena was born in a musical family. Her father Shankar Shripad Bodas was a disciple of vocalist Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar

Vishnu Digambar Paluskar

Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar was a Hindustani musician. He sung the original version of the bhajan Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram.-Early life and background:...

. She began her early musical education under her father, and then under her brother Kashinath Shankar Bodas. She also learned Kathak

Kathak

Kathak is one of the eight forms of Indian classical dances, originated from Uttar Pradesh, India. This dance form traces its origins to the nomadic bards of ancient northern India, known as Kathaks, or storytellers...

 dancing in her childhood.

Veena's musical mentors include Padmashri Balwantrai Bhatt

Balwantrai Bhatt

Pandit Balwant Rai Bhatt is a noted Indian composer and musician of Hindustani vocal music. He is also known as "Bhav Rang".-Early life and background:...

, Pandit Vasant Thakar, and Pandit Gajananrao Joshi

Gajananrao Joshi

Gajanan Anant Joshi was a vocalist and violinist in Hindustani music.-Early life and background:Joshi came from a family of musicians...

.

She has a Bachelor's degree in Vocal Performance, Sanskrit Literature, and English Literature from Kanpur University

Kanpur University

Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University , formerly Kanpur University, is a public university located in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is administered under the state legislature of the government of Uttar Pradesh. The university has more than 350 affiliated colleges spread over 15 districts of...

 (1968), a Master's degree (Sangeet Alankar) in Vocal Performance from A.B.G.M.V. Mandal (1969), and also Master's degree in Sanskrit from Kanpur University (1979). A.B.G.M.V. Mandal conferred on her a doctorate in vocal music (Sangeet Praveen) in 1988. She was the Head of the Department of Music at SNDT Pune campus

SNDT Pune campus

Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey Women's University is a women's university in Maharashtra, India. It has a constituent campus in Pune. The university was founded in Pune in 1916 in the Karve Kutir ....

.

Veena has given musical performances in India, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America.

Awards

• A prize in Vocal Classical category in a national competition for artists under age 25, conducted by All India Radio
  All India Radio
  All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
  
  (1972)
• Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1993)

Press

• “Captivating- took her audience to dizzy heights of evocation by her impassioned Khayal renditions” -The Times of India, 1986
• “Despite inclement weather, drew a phenomenal turnout...did much more than fulfill the expectations of her eager fans” - The Times of India, 1989
• “Unforgettable recital...superlative performance...[held] her listeners spellbound” -The Times of India, 1990
• “Imbued with tremendous melodic appeal” - Indian Express, 1992
• “A concert to remember...clear pronunciation...improvisation in keeping with word meanings...ability to develop an instant rapport with the audience” - The Times of India, 1995

Sources

1. Biographical Information:
http://www.it.iitb.ac.in/~hvs/Veena/index.html

2. Hinduonnet.com, by Mala Kumar
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/fr/2006/02/10/stories/2006021003230200.htm

3. Press
http://www.unl.edu/raag/veena/Veena.html

External links

• Hindu.com
• Interview
• Appreciation talks
• Discography
• Recordings