Mallikarjun Mansur

Pandit Mallikarjun Bheemaraayappa Mansur, also known as Mallikarjun Mansur, was a Hindustani Classical Singer from Karnataka. He was born on December 31, 1910, in Mansur, a village near Dharwad, Karnataka. His father, Bheemaraayappa, was from a farming background yet, had a love for music. One of his elder sons, Basavaraj, had a Theatre troupe, so Mansur Ji got to do a role in a play at just age 9. Seeing his son's talent, Bheemaraayappa sent him along with a Yakshagana (Kannada Theatre) troupe. The owner admired the young boy's melodious voice and would make him sing various types of songs in their plays. One of the many audiences impressed by young Mansur Ji's voice was Appaya Swamy. He, under his guidance, trained Mansur Ji in Carnatic music until Nilkanth Bua Alurmath of Miraj from Gwalior Gharana introduced him to Hindustani Music.

In the late 1920s, Nilkanth brought him to Alladiya Khan, the then patriarch of Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana. Then, from their elder son to the youngest, Burji Khan, who influenced his incredible musical journey. His quick-witted improvisations in melody without losing control over the emotional understanding of the song and his superficial ability to command rare ragas made him one of the most honored vocalists of Indian Classical music. He had mastery in aprachalit (rare) ragas like Hem Nat, Kabir Bhairav, Ek Nishad Bihagda, Shuddh Nat, Sampoorna Malkauns, Bahaduri Todi, Lachchhasakh, Asa Jogiya, Lajawanti, Bihari, Adambari Kedar, Shivmat Bhairav, and Khat.

He was the music director of His Master's Voice and later on the music advisor for the Dharwad station of All India Radio. He received the highest honor granted by India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama, Sangeet Natak Akademi - The Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship. The Government of India awarded him all three Padma Awards, the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan. He had written his autobiography, Nanna Rasayatre, in Kannada, which was later translated by his son, Rajshekhar Mansur, to English and titled My Journey in Music. He died on September 12, 1992. His residence, Mallikarjun Mansur, Mrutyunjaya, now houses a museum managed by Dr. Mallikarjun Mansur National Memorial Trust, under the Department of Kannada and Culture, State Government of Karnataka, to keep his memory alive.