Dayal Thakur

Dayal Thakur was born in Mumbai, India. As a child, he had tremendous interest in music and spent the formative years of childhood under the tutelage of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. He received his formal initial training in Calcutta from his Ustad Munawar Ali Khan (d. 1989, son and disciple of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan). After his guru's death, in his endeavour to acquire further knowledge, Dayal Thakur had the opportunity of receiving valuable guidance from veteran vocalist Rajaram Shukla and continues to be under his tutelage for the past 22 years.

Dayal Thakur is a versatile artist who is well known for his evocative performances in traditional North Indian (Hindustani) Classical Music, his innovative compositions and for his excellence as a teacher. He is an accomplished singer, famous for his distinctive style of Ghazals, Thumris and Khayals. He is a delightful and captivating performer, combining technical mastery with personal charm and has performed several concerts in India and abroad.

Dayal's versatility is apparent in his numerous collaborations with musicians of various genres which includes a vocal performance with Canadian singer and songwriter Shania Twain. He provided vocals for her album Up! in which her last US single, "It Only Hurts When I'm Breathing", made it to the Top 20 on both Country and AC.

One of Dayal Thakur's fortes is his ability to communicate his knowledge, making him an excellent teacher. He currently lives in Bombay with his wife and children.