Mysore/Mysuru: As part of ‘Parampara: Celebrating the heritage and legacy of Hindustani Classical Music,’ Raag Milan has organised a soulful bansuri recital by the legendary flautist Pandit Nityanand Haldipur (Mumbai) at Jagannatha Centre for Art and Culture in Vijayanagar here tomorrow (Aug. 26) at 6.30 pm. He will be accompanied by his disciple Ravi Shankar Mishra on flute while Pandit Uday Raj Karpur and his son Pradyumna Karpur on tabla.

PROFILES

Pandit Nityanand Haldipur — ranked among India’s leading flautists and a senior disciple of the reclusive genius, Padma Bhushan Annapurna Devi — represents the pure essence of a highly revered musical heritage.

Born in Bombay in a deeply spiritual family, Pt. Nityanand was fortunate to have the right environment for his latent musical talents to blossom. His first guru who initiated him into the art, technique and aesthetics of flute-playing was his father, late Niranjan Haldipur — a senior disciple of the renowned flute maestro, late Pt. Pannalal Ghosh.

Over the next two decades, Nityanand’s training continued under late Pandit Chidanand Nagarkar and Pandit Devendra Murdeshwar, senior most disciple of late Pandit Pannalal Ghosh, under whom Nityanand perfected his technique.

However, it was after 1986, when Padma Bhushan Annapurna Devi — doyen of the Senia-Maihar Gharana and daughter of the legendary Ustad Allauddin Khansaheb (Baba), the fountain head of the gharana — accepted him as one of her disciples, that Nityanand’s talent and musicianship truly flowered. It progressively acquired depth, maturity and a new dimension.

A Top Grade artiste of All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan, Nityanand has participated in the National Programme of Music and the AIR Sangeet Sammelan. In 2010, Nityanand Haldipur was given the highest award for his contribution to Indian classical music by Sangeet Natak Academy, GoI, New Delhi.

Ravi Shankar Mishra is among the finest flautists of the younger generation, having begun his training with his father, Pandit Dinesh Chandra Mishra, before becoming a disciple of Pandit Nityanand Haldipur, a torch-bearer of Pandit Pannalal Ghosh’s legacy. He also received guidance from the late Padma Bhushan Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan, whom he revered as a mentor. A versatile artiste, Ravi has performed extensively in India and internationally, including at UNESCO (Paris), and collaborated with leading jazz and classical musicians. Alongside his performances, he is a dedicated teacher and an expert craftsman of Indian bamboo flutes, combining artistry with tradition to inspire audiences and students alike.

Pandit Uday Raj Karpur is one of the top ranking tabla artistes of Karnataka. He holds a Doctorate in tabla & has accompanied leading musicians of our country like Pt. Rajeev Taranath, Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, Gangubai Hangal, Pt. Venkatesh Kumar and Praveen Godkhindi. Dr. Uday has also toured throughout India and abroad accompanying top classical artistes.

Pradyumna Karpur, born in a musical family, started taking tabla lessons from the age of 5 from his father. Presently he is receiving advance lessons from Taal Yogi Padma Shri Pt. Suresh Talwalkar Guruji.

Recognised by AIR as a child artiste, he is also promoted by various organisations and has performed in prestigious platforms all over India.