India has an abundant and assorted musical heritage, populated by famous musicians who have vastly contributed to the earth. Find below a look at a selection of India’s notable musicians, who play classical, folk, and contemporary styles of music.
Let know these legends in detail:
1. Pandit Ravi Shankar(1920-2012)
Honourable Pandit Ravi Shankar is quite famous worldwide and is a renowned Indian music master. He was by profession a competent sitar player and contributed a lot in introducing the people of the Western countries to Indian music. He worked with many of the stars originating from the Western world, including the Beatles’ George Harrison. His work was known throughout the world and thanks to his original stylistics, combining Indian and Western music, he became a three-time Grammy winner. Famous songs of Pandit ji were Hamir, Dhun Kafi and Raga Rasiya.
2. Lata Mangeshkar(1929-2022)
There’s a good reason for calling Lata Mangeshkar the ‘Nightingale of India’: she stands amongst the top playback vocalists in the Indian film industry. She performed songs in a total of 36 languages, along with producing vocal work that set an important standard in Indian film music. Over more than seventy years, her rich singing voice has been essential for Bollywood, putting her amongst the most recorded artists in the world. Following the awards she has received, she has also earned the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award. Lag Ja Gale, Dil Diwana and Mere Khwabon Mein are the best songs of her singing career.
3. A.R. Rahman(1967-Present)
Indian singer, composer and music producer A. R. Rahman is famed for his contributions to films internationally. His most impressive accomplishment is the putting together of the soundtrack for the Academy Award-winning film Slumdog Millionaire, with that leading to his wins in two Oscar categories. Because of his skill in merging traditional Indian music with modern electronic sounds, Rahman has grown his music’s popularity. Part of his top works includes the music for Roja, Dil Se, and Jai Ho.
4. Bismillah Khan(1916-2006)
Ustad Bismillah Khan introduced the old wind instrument shehnai to the frontlines of classical music in India. On Independence Day every year since 1947, he took the stage at the Red Fort to symbolize the country’s pride in its cultural traditions. He has earned the Bharat Ratna for his remarkable contribution to the music of India. Raag Lalit , Raag Bhimpalasi and Raag Sohini were his famous raags.
5. Kishore Kumar(1929-1987)
K. Kumar exceeded the qualifications of an efficient playback singer; he was an actor, producer, and director who succeeded. Over those decades, his voice evolved into an icon, and he still holds a place among the favourite voices within Bollywood today. Kishore has created a reputation for himself by mastering singing, beautifully expressing a varied emotional spectrum and cleverly combining humour with grief. Among his timeless successes are both ‘Mere Sapno Ki Rani‘ and ‘Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi Si.’
6. M.S. Subbulakshmi(1916-2004)
Yet, the triumphs in Carnatic music by M. S. Subbulakshmi owe their success to the hurdles related to both regions and languages. She became the first Indian musician to present at the United Nations, and her interpretations of devotional music have gained a great deal of recognition. Due to her enduring qualities, an essential development occurred in classical music that caused her to receive the Bharat Ratna in 1998 for her pioneering contributions to Indian music and culture. Sri Kanakadhara Stotram and Bhaja Govindam were her evergreen songs.
7. Zakir Hussain(1951-2024)
Tabla artist Zakir Hussain ranks as one of the best in theatre worldwide. Compelled by his extraordinary skills and innovative improvisation, Zakir has brought Indian classical music to international listeners. He has taken on a leadership position in the fusion music field thanks to working with several international artists, including jazz and classical music performers. Thanks to what he contributed, Shakti, headed by Pandit Ravi Shankar and John McLaughlin, gained worldwide fame. He was also nominated for his musical album This Moment at the Grammy in the year 2024 under the category of Best Global Music Album. The song Kaash (Yaari Version) by Zakir Hussian and Hariharan was the biggest hit of the year 2019
8. Asha Bhosle(1933-Present)
Asha Bhosle is famously described as the younger sister of the great playback singer, Lata Mangeshkar. Her flexibility is a typical feature of her diverse work, which addresses all themes from emotionally impactful music to energetic dance performances. Over time she has collaborated with all the renowned music directors in Bollywood and performed in virtually 20 languages. An assortment of her major accomplishments in music involves the tunes “Piya Tu Ab To Aaja” and ‘Dum Maro Dum.’
9. Hariharan(1955-Present)
Hariharan is an Indian playback singer and ghazal artist, widely liked for his emotional voice. In different languages, he has performed in numerous Indian films, and his ghazal albums have found popularity worldwide. He is earning credit for his partnership with composer A. R. Rahman in titles such as Bombay and Roja.
10. Sonu Nigam(1973-Present)
Sonu Nigam is among the favourite playback singers in current Bollywood, a collective that has seen success after success, including Kabir Singh, which has received well above 1 billion views on YouTube. Sonu’s fame stems from his melodic tone along with his range, having starred in a great many expensive films that have attracted a large community of fans. “Kal Ho Na Ho” and “Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin” are in his celebrated catalogue. His presentation includes creative items that feature a range of forms, including both romantically inclined songs and hymns for spiritual usage.
11. Shankar Mahadevan(1967-Present)
Being a key playback singer is only one role for Shankar Mahadevan, who is part of the famous music group Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, which has created numerous amazing Bollywood sounds. His skill in synthesizing Indian classical music and current musical techniques draws lots of gratitude. The song called ‘Breathless‘ quickly rose to success for him. Mahadevan has investigated classical music and participates regularly in an array of classical and fusion performances. This moment music album is a collaboration album with Zakir Hussian won the Grammy award in 2024.
CONCLUSION
In the Indian music realm, we encounter an interesting selection of melodies that are timeless and energetic in Bollywood rhythms. Regardless of their important roles, the inventive use of Indian music by musicians appeals to a global audience and raises their worldwide acknowledgement. A significant effect has occurred within the music sector because of musicians who practice classical, playback, and fusion music.
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