Asha Khadilkar

Asha Khadilkar is an Indian senior vocalist and singer on All India Radio. She was born on January 11, 1955. Asha Khadilkar’s place of birth is the Mecca of the Marathi Drama movement, Sangli in Maharashtra, India. She put her initial steps in Hindustani music under the guidance of her first guru, Late Shri. Balkrishnabuva Mohite. At the tender age of thirteen, she gave her first live Indian Classical Music Vocal concert. She also rendered live performances in many Marathi Musical stage plays (Sangeet Natak). In 1975, she married Madhav Khadilkar and moved to Mumbai. Afterward, she honed her unique talent & skills under Late Padmashree Manik Verma, the legendary Marathi singer. Then, she continued her tutelage in Indian Classical Music from a stalwart of Gwalior Gharana, Pt. Yashwantbuwa Joshi.

Asha Khadilkar has gained a massive following in India and overseas with her incredible skills in various forms of Indian music. She has deliberately adapted to the best flavors of Kirana, Gwalior, and Agra Gharanas, under the guidance of many music maestros, including Pandit Shankar Abhyankar, Pandita Padmavati Shaligram, Pandit Yashwantbuva Joshi, Late Vasantrao Deshpande, and Late Padmashree Jitendra Abhisheki. She is popularly known for her command over Traditional Marathi from Bhajans, Natya Sangeet, and Bhavgeet. She has also provided her distinctive direction to new-generation Marathi Musical plays such as Sangeet Kaviraj Jaydev conceived by Nehru Centre, and Sangeet Aradhana.  

Asha Khadilkar has shown her innovative best by conceptualizing various thematic programmes, including Sawan – Rang, Hori Rang Rangilee, Rachanakar-ko-pranam, and Ritu –Rang in Hindi. She also participated in programmes like Manik-Moti and Swarabhishek in Marathi. Through organizations such as “Spic Macay,” she has always spreading the soul of Indian Classical Music. She also provides guidance and mentoring to advanced students of Indian Classical Music. Many renowned Indian recording companies like Tips, HMV, and Polydor have released Asha Khadilkar’s audiocassettes and CDs in Indian classical light and devotional music.

Since 1994, Asha Khadilkar and her husband Shri Madhav Khadilkar runs “Uttung Sanskrutik Pariwar Trust,” a socio-cultural non-profit organization in Mumbai. This organization devoted for proliferation & preservation of Indian culture through many forms of literature, performing arts, and nationalistic activities. In 2008, she was invited as among the celebrity judges for the Marathi vocal singing competition show, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa with the music director Salil Kulkarni.

Asha Khadilkar has won several honors, including Pandit Kumar Gandharva Award (1999), Padmashree Manik Verma Award (1997), and Sangeet Shiromani Award (2009) at Banaras. She has also earned “Best Music Composer in Marathi Theatre” award presented by the government of Maharashtra. Marathi TV channel “Sahyadree” awarded her “Swara Ratna” Navaratna Award. She also got a felicitation on International Women’s Day from the government of Maharashtra.