Vasantrao Deshpande

Vasantrao Deshpande
Background information
Native name वसंतराव देशपांडे
Born (1920-05-02)2 May 1920
Murtijapur, Akola, Maharashtra
Died 30 July 1983(1983-07-30) (aged 63)
Pune, Maharashtra, India
Genres Hindustani classical music
Occupation(s) Singer, Actor, Musician
Instruments Vocals
Years active 1928–1983
Website www.vasantraodeshpande.com

Vasantrao Deshpande (1920–1983) was a renowned Hindustani classical vocalist who was also a great performer of Natya Sangeet.

Early life and background

Vasantrao Deshpande was born in Murtizapur, Akola District, which belongs to Vidarbha region of State of Maharashtra, in India.

He learned from several gurus, refusing to tie himself down to a single school of singing. He started his musical training in his home town Nagpur under Shankarrao Sapre from Gwalior, who in turn was a disciple of Vishnu Digambar Paluskar. This was followed by Sureshbabu Mane of Kirana gharana, Asad Ali Khan of Patiala gharana, Aman Ali Khan and Anjani Bai Malpekar of Bhendibazaar gharana, and Ramkrishnabuwa Vaze.[1] But the most important influence on him was Dinanath Mangeshkar, and Vasantrao was the sole true inheritor of Dinanath's mercurial style of singing.

At the age of eight, Bhalji Pendharkar perceived his musical talent and launched him in the role of 'Krishna' in Hindi movie Kaliyamardan. He had received training under different gharanas (schools or styles of music): Patiala, Bhendi Bazar and Kirana, but he did not receive the stamp of any particular gharana.

Career

Deshpande performed classical and semi-classical music. He conceived Raga Raj Kalyan, a Yaman variant with 'Pancham' dropped altogether. He was also an accomplished tabla and harmonium player.

He acted in movies like "Kaaliya Mardan", "Dudh Bhaat", and "Ashtavinayak". He gave playback to more than 80 Marathi films. Besides pure music, he also put together the history of Marathi music plays, from origin showing their evolution up to the present stage.

Vasantrao had several commercial releases under his name.[2]

Legacy

The Dr Vasantrao Deshpande Pratishthan based in Pune, where his grandson Rahul Deshpande is a trustee,[3] organizes an annual music festival in his memory, titled Vasantotsav in Pune. The three-day festival is held in the month of January each year. Noted classical musicians and performers take part the festival. During the festival, two awards, the "Vasantotsav Youth Award" for Promising artists and " Vasantotsav Award" for veteran artists are given.[4][5][6]

In 2011, a three-day music and dance festival in his memory, was organized by the South Central Zone Cultural Centre (SCZCC) of Government of India in Nagpur.[7]

His grandson Rahul Deshpande is a classical singer and he is carrying his style further. In 2015, he played the lead of Khan Saheb in musical, Katyar Kaljat Ghusali, which was played by Vasantrao Deshpande in the 1960s.[8]

Awards

Bibliography

  • "Vasantrao Deshpande: Marathi Stage Phenomenon". Bhavan's Journal. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. 1983. pp. 25–28.

References

  1. ↑ Jeffrey Michael Grimes (2008). The Geography of Hindustani Music: The Influence of Region and Regionalism on the North Indian Classical Tradition. ProQuest. pp. 160–. ISBN 978-1-109-00342-0. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  2. ↑ Michael S. Kinnear (1985). A discography of Hindustani and Karnatic music. Greenwood Press. p. 294. ISBN 978-0-313-24479-7. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  3. ↑ Pranav Kulkarni (23 Dec 2008). "Vasantotsav to kick off from January 9". Indian Express. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  4. ↑ "Vasantotsav to start on Jan 18". The Times Of India. 6 January 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  5. ↑ "Season of Music". Indian Express. 21 January 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  6. ↑ "Celebrating the five elements of nature". Pune Mirror. 23 December 2008. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  7. ↑ "Music festival in memory of Vasantrao Deshpande in Nagpur". IBN Live News. 28 July 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  8. ↑ "Grandson Rahul to carry Pt Vasantrao's legacy forward". The Times Of India. 28 August 2009. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  9. ↑ "SNA: List of Akademi Awardees". Sangeet Natak Akademi Official website. Archived from the original on 30 May 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  10. ↑ Sangeet Natak, Issues 79-82. Sangeet Natak Akademi. 1986. p. 47.
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