More About Vidushi Dr. Kamala Shankar

Vidushi Dr.Kamala Shankar

Vidushi Dr. Kamala Shankar is the first woman Indian classical slide guitarist, who is a renowned performer at Hindustani Classical Music recitals, both in India and abroad. Kamala has developed her own unique style of playing the guitar by blending gayaki and tantrakari ang (instrumental technique) with an in-depth knowledge of playing this specialised guitar. She has been conferred the  ‘Kumar Gandharva Samman’ 2009 by the Government of Madhya Pradesh and Sangeet Nataka Akademi Samman by the Uttar Pradesh Government in 2013. She has been under the tutelage of Guru Padma Vibhushan Pt. Chhannulal Mishra Ji (Kirana Gharana) of Varanasi. Kamala completed her doctorate in guitar in 1998 from Banaras Hindu University. She is a Top-Graded AIR Artist. Kamala is also the founder Director of Shankara Arts Foundation, a seat for learning music in a ‘Guru-Shishya-Parampara’ way  at Varanasi. The Shankara Music Festival, held every year, is dedicated to the legendary M.S. Subbulakshmi.


Shri Nirmal Saini

Nirmal Saini, a young guitar player, has carved a niche of his own. He graduated from the University of Rajasthan and has a Master's degree from Prayag Sangeet Samiti Allahabad in Sitar.
Along with the sitar, his natural inclination towards the guitar inspired him to perform under eminent guitarist Vidushi Dr. Kamala Shankar and for the last 11 years, he is continuously engaged in the practice of classical music on the guitar as per the Guru-Shishya tradition. Presently he is an approved guitar artiste of All India Radio.

PANDIT VINOD LELE

An accomplished tabla player of the Banaras Gharana  and a disciple of Pt. Kashinath Khandekar, Pt Lele is a Top-Grade Artiste of All India Radio and television. He was awarded the UP Sangeet Natak Akademi  award in 2020 and has also given many solo performances, and extensively toured India and abroad.