Top 10 Indian Classical Singers

Music can be described as a combination of melody, rhythm, and harmony to produce pleasant sounds. Music is a source of communication that allows us to feel nearly every emotion that we experience in our lives through the language of rhythm and sounds. We may have heard the phrase ‘Music Heals’, which is very accurate, but music can only heal because of healers known as SINGERS. Singers put life into music. Classical music is a sub-division of music that is one of the most ancient art forms of India. Its origins are found in Hindu Vedas. Indian Classical Music can be further divided into two forms: North Indian Classical music is called Hindustani and South Indian Classical music is called Carnatic. Our country India, being the powerhouse of talent, has had many timeless Classical Singers who, with their melodious voices, gifted us the treasure of a lifetime, with their world-famous songs.

1. Tansen

Tansen, birth name Ramtanu Pande also known as Miyan Tan Sen was born in the year 1506 in a Hindu Gaur Brahmin family in Behat, Gwalior, a city in Madhya Pradesh. He learned his art of music from his Guru Swami Haridas. Tansen practiced the North Indian form of classical music called Hindustani and was best in it. vTansen was a music composer, musician, vocalist, and instrumentalist. He was considered one of the nine jewels of Emperor Akbar, who gave him the title of MIAN. Tansen died in 1589 and became history in the world of classical singing.

2. Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Ali Khan was a renowned actor of Hindi Cinema. He >> Read More...

Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan was born on 2^nd April 1902 in Kasur, Pakistan. He was also referred to as Sabrang. Ustad was an Indian HINDUSTANI vocalist from Patiala Gharana. His father and uncle were singers, too, and he started to learn singing at the age of 5. Ustad was awarded Padma Bhushan in the year 1962. It was believed that Ustad was frustrated with a social set-up that found it difficult to honor his gift as a singer, and so he migrated to India in 1957. Later he died in the year 1968 on 23^rd April.

3. M.S Subbulakshmi

M. S. Subbulakshmi, born as Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi was born on 16^th September 1916 in Madurai, Madras. Subbulakshmi took training for South Indian classical State (Carnatic) from her mother and later for North Indian Classical form Hindustani, she was trained under Pandit Narayan Rao Vyas. MS’ first recording was released when she was 10, and her first performance was when she was 13 years old at Madras Music Academy. Subbulakshmi was awarded Padma Bhushan (1954), Padma Vibhushan (1975), and Bharat Ratna (1998). She died at 88 in Chennai on 11^th December, 2004.

4. Gangubai Hangal Bio coming soon... >> Read More...

Gangubai Hangal was born on March 5^th, 1913 in Karnataka. She was known for her deep and influential voice to Hindustani singing belonging to Kirana Gharana. Hangal performed in All India Radio stations until 1945. Her daughter Krishna-bai Hangal is a musician too. She often accompanied her mother in concerts. Gangubai was awarded Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan in 1971 and 2002, respectively. She died of a Cardiac attack on 21 July, 2009 at the age of 96 in Hubli, a city in Karnataka.

5. Kesarbai Kerkar Kesarbai Kerkar was a Hindi vocalist based in Indi >> Read More...

Kesarbai Kerkar born on 13th July 1892, in North Goa, was an Indian Classical vocalist from Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana. She became one of the most renowned khayal singers in the second half of the 20^th Century. She was a protégé of Ustad Alladiya Khan, the founder of Atrauli gharana. She took training from Ustad for 11 years. She was given the title of SURSHRI, which means ‘excellent voice’. She was awarded Padma Bhushan in 1969. Later she died on 16^th September, 1977.

6. Pandit Bhimsen Joshi Bhimsen Gururaj Joshi was born on 4th February 192 >> Read More...

Pandit Bhimsen Gururaj Joshi, also referred to by the prefix Pandit, is one of the most renowned classical singers of India. He was born on the 4^th of February 1922. He belonged to Kirana gharana of Hindustani Classical tradition. He performed the Khayal genre in the forms of bhajans and abhangs. His majorly used instruments were Harmonium and Tanpura. Pandit was awarded with Padma Shri in1972, Padma Bhushan in1985, Padma Vibhushan in 1999 and Bharat Ratna in 2009. Later, he died on 24^th January 2011.

7. Pandit Jasraj Pandit Jasraj is a classical vocalist. He received >> Read More...

Pandit Jasraj , born on 28^th January 1930 in Hisar was an Indian Classical vocalist who belonged to Mewati gharana. He was a singer, musician, table player and also a music teacher. He learned to play tabla from his elder brother Pandit Pratap Narayan. Jasraj began singing at 14 and used to riyaaz for 14 hours a day. At 22, he performed his first stage concert as a vocalist. He also performed semi-classical and popular music. He opened a lot of music schools in different International cities like Atlanta, Vancouver, Toronto, New York Click to look into! >> Read More... , etc. He received Padma Shri (1975), Padma Bhushan (1975), and Padma Vibhushan (2000). Jasraj died in New Jersey at the age of 90 on 17^th august 2020.

8. Dr. Balamuralikrishna

Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna was an Indian Classical Singer in Carnatic form. He was a musician, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, playback singer and character actor. He has received two National Film Awards The National Film Awards gets presented every year >> Read More... in 1975 and 1987. He was born on the 6^th of July 1930 in Andhra Pradesh. He started singing at the age of 6. He has done over 25,000 concerts Worldwide in his life span. Balamuralikrishna has sung in movies too. He worked as an actor in a Telugu film called Bhakta Prahladan(1967). He has been awarded many awards and recognition, including Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan. He died on 22^nd November 2016 at the age of 86. He died in his sleep at 5 in the morning, at his house in Chennai, due to Cardiac arrest.

9. Pandit Kumar Gandharva Bio coming soon... >> Read More...

Pandit Kumar Gandharva, birth name Shivaputra Siddaramayya Komkalimath was born on 8^th April 1924, in Karnataka. He is one of the common names when it comes to classical singing. He is known for his unique vocal style and refusal to be bound by any Gharana in music. He showed interest in music from the age of 5 and by the age of 10, he made his first stage appearance. Later, he mastered his art of singing under well-known classical teacher B.R. Deodhar. Gandharva’s last breath was on 12^th January 1992 at his house in Madhya Pradesh.

10. Ustad Abdul Karim Khan Bio coming soon... >> Read More...

Ustad Abdul Karim Khan, born on 11^th November 1872, was an Indian Classical singer and the founder of Kirana Gharana along with his cousin Abdul Wahid Khan. He belonged to a family of musicians. He took training from his uncle Abdullah Khan Bio coming soon... >> Read More... and father, Kale Khan. He had a unique style of singing in his voice which made him stand out. Initially, he was a Sarangi player, then played veena, sitar, and table too. He died on 27^th October 1937 at the age of 64.