Classical Music Stage – Ranjani Panda

Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, an outstanding vocalist of the famed Jaipur-Atrauli Khayal Gayaki tradition, represents the new generation of veterans worthy of wearing the mantle of the old masters. 

Born in a musical family, Ashwini completed Sangeet Visharad of the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya at the young age of 16 and won the President’s Gold Medal at the All India Radio Music Competition in 1977. After grasping the rudiments of Hindustani classical music under the late Pt. Narayanrao Datar, she began imbibing all the traditional aspects of stylised Jaipur Gayaki under the strict tutelage of her mother, mentor and Guru, Smt. Manik Bhide. 

Thoroughly grounded in the Jaipur Atrauli Khayal Gayaki tradition, Ashwini’s musicianship is characterised by a blend of tonal sweetness coupled with vitality and emotion and raga structure-architecture. Through this, she has succeeded in building up her own loyal audience. Although a classicist by temperament and training, Ashwini is equally at ease with lighter varieties like thumri-dadra and bhajans/abhangs. Add to this, her fluency in Sanskrit enriches her repertoire further by inclusion of stotras/stutis. Ashwini has added to her devotional repertoire by scoring the music herself of many of her devotional presentations.

Ashwini’s debut recording album was released in 1985 by HMV and several more have followed thereafter under various banners including Rhythm House, Times Music, Sony Music, Music Today, Navras Records and Universal Music among others.

In October 2004 Ashwini published a book Ragarachananjali of her self-composed bandishes. The book received rave reviews all over the music world and the effort has been lauded for its musical creativity and artistic presentation. Continuing her creative effort, she followed up with Ragarachananjali 2, her second book of bandishes in October 2010. 

Ashwini has traveled extensively all over the globe participating in various prestigious music conferences and Sangeet Sammelans. A 'top grade' artist of Akashwani and Doordarshan, Ashwini has featured in several national programmes and AIR Sangeet Sammelans. 

As a teacher of competence, Ashwini devotes quality time to her promising disciples assuring continuity of the rich tradition of the Jaipur Gayaki. Ashwini has regularly participated in lecture-demonstrations on Hindustani classical music in various schools, colleges and sangeet sabhas and contributes to the enlightenment of the unexposed audiences in India and abroad.

Ashwini’s contribution to Hindustani classical vocal music has been acknowledged by way of awards and citations. Some of these accolades include the prestigious Rashtriya Kaalidas Samman in 2016 by the Madhya Pradesh Government, andthe Sangeet Natak Akademy Award for 2014. She was also the first female Hindustani vocalist to have been decorated with the prestigious Rashtriya Kumar Gandharva Samman" in 2005 by the Government of Madhya Pradesh.

Ashwini, who is currently stationed in Mumbai, finally chose music as her first love forsaking a career in Biochemistry, but not before completing her doctorate at the esteemed Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, University of Mumbai. 

Ranjani Panda is a seventh year student at SIFAS. She has been learning Hindustani Classical Music since the age of six, initially under Guru Shibani Roy and currently under Guru Sonali Sinha Biswas. She has participated and won prizes in competitions like ZeeAPAC Sur Taal Sangam 2018 and those held by National Arts Council, Singapore (2017). She has also performed in previous SIFAS festivals, Academy Day and other SIFAS events. She received the Best Student Award in Hindustani Vocal in both 2019 and 2023. On top of Hindustani vocal, she also learns the harmonium under Guru Debasish Adhikary.