Mysuru: Raag Milan has organised a musical evening celebrating the legacy of the legendary tabla maestro, Ustad Zakir Hussain, at Ganabharathi’s Veena Seshanna Bhavana in Kuvempunagar tomorrow  (Dec. 21) at 5.30 pm.

The programme will commence with a captivating tabla duet by Pandit Gourisankar (USA) and his disciple Rishikesh Prasad, followed by a mesmerising sitar recital by K.V. Mahabala (USA) and a soulful flute performance by Ravi Shankar Mishra.

PROFILES

Pandit Gourisankar, born in a family of musicians, has been studying tabla since the age of 3, under the able guidance of his father Shiv Shankar Karmakar. Since 1979 he has been under the tutelage of Pandit Sankha Chatterjee. He is also an ‘A’ grade artiste of All India Radio.

In 2008, he established the School of Indian Percussion and Music in Austin, Texas. He has accompanied eminent artistes such as Hariprasad Chaurasia, Ronu Mazumdar, Rahul Sharma, Shahid Parvez and many more.

Gourisankar has also collaborated with world famous musicians in the world music genre, like the legendary drummer Steve Smith, steel-pan player Liam Teague, Grammy winner kora player Mamadou Diabate and Hammond organ player Tony Monaco.

Rishikesh Prasad began his tabla training at the age of 5 under Guru Pandit Gourisankar. As he honed his skills, he performed at various community events over the years. Rishikesh has accompanied several prominent musicians. He has also performed tabla jugalbandis with his Guru at the School of Indian Percussion and musical recitals in Texas, as well as in Bengaluru. Currently, he is at Texas A&M University, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering.

K.V. Mahabala is an engineer by profession, but followed his passion for Sitar. He started his musical journey with late Sri Yoga arasimha, an eminent musician and a teacher based in Mysuru.

Mahabala furthered his musical career in New Delhi with Uma Shankar Mishra, a student of the legendary Pandit Ravi Shankar. He later migrated to the United States in 1992, where his passion for music was enhanced by Pandit Barunkumar Pal. He has performed several concerts in and around New York. He currently lives in Tampa, Florida.

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 Shankar Mishra 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.

For details, contact Ravi Shankar Mishra on Mob: 94481-50433.