Shrikrishna Narayan Ratanjankar Sujan: A Many Splendoured Genius

Contemplatively he said once After all these long years in music, I have realized the validity of the age-long postulate that this nada-vidya is limitless and unfathomable. To us at our level it is revealed through flashes and glimpses which become part of our experience and enrich our vision.

At all levels good music is joyful, desirable, legitimate. It has its place in the mundane as well as in spiritual, liberational endeavour. Music is great, music is divine; music does not degrade or demoralize man, man may demoralize music.

About the Book

It occupied a pre-eminent position in the spectacular developments in the field of Hindustani music in the 20th century. A foremost disciple of Chatur Paandit Bhatkhande and a ganda-bandh shagird of the great Ustad Faiyaz Khan, Ratanjankar was an excellent performer, a learned scholar and a great guru with a number of accomplished disciples.

Ratanjankar was Principal of the Marris Music College, Lucknow, for three decades, Director Bhatkhande Sangeet Vidyapeeth and the first Vice-Chancellor of the Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya, Khairagarh. As a frequent broadcaster and Vice-Chairman Audition Board, he had a long association with All India Radio. A composer par excellence he has over 750 compositions to his credit and wrote several authoritative books and articles, giving new dimensions to the entire musical complex. Ratanjankar was honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 1957.

About the Author

Sumati Mutatkar a prominent pupil of Ratanjankar has been performer, teacher and administrator. She has been known for her wide performing range from the classical dhrupad-dhamar and khayal to the lighter tappa-thumri.

Padma Shri Sumati Mutatkar has been a broadcaster and concert artiste for decades. She worked at All India Radio for long periods and headed the Faculty of Music and Fine Arts at Delhi University for many years.

Winner of the prestigious Kalidas Samman for the year 2001, Sumati Mutatkar is widely traveled and widely published. She is looked upon as a fund of knowledge and information on matters musical.