Shobha Gurtu

Infobox actor
name = Shobha Gurtu
शोभा गुर्टू


imagesize =
caption =
birthname = Bhanumati Shirodkar
birthdate = Birth date |1925|2|8|mf=y
location = Belgaum, Karnataka, India
deathdate = Death date and age|2004|9|27|1925|2|8|mf=y
deathplace = Mumbai, India
occupation = Hindustani classical Vocalist
yearsactive = 1940s-2004
spouse = Vishwanath Gurtu
othername =
awards =

Shobha Gurtu (शोभा गुर्टू) (1925 -2004) was one of India's most famous singers in the light Hindustani classical style. Though she had equal command over pure classical style, it was with light classical music that she received her fame, and in time came to be known as the "Thumri Queen" [ [http://in.rediff.com/news/2004/sep/27gurtu.htm Thumri queen Shobha Gurtu no more] News, "Rediff.com", September 27, 2004.] , and for the ‘Abhinaya’ ang in her full-throated voice [ [http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/sep/27gurtu1.htm 'On stage Gurtu was always Radha'] News, "Rediff.com", September 27, 2004.] [ [http://www.themusicmagazine.com/shobhagurtutrib.html Tribute -Abhinaya in vocal chords] www.themusicmagazine.com. 28 October, 2004. ]

Biography

Born Bhanumati Shirodkar, in Belgaum, (present Karnataka) in 1925, she was first trained by her mother Menekabai Shirodkar, a professional dancer, and a 'gayaki' disciple of Ustad Alladiya Khan of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana [http://www.itcsra.org/celebrated_masters.asp?celebrate=3 Shobha Gurtu] Celebrated Master, "ITC Sangeet Research Academy".] .

Though her formal music training began with ‘Ustad Bhurji Khan’, the youngest son of Ustad Alladiya Khan, the founder of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana in Kolhapur, from whom her mother was learning at the time, while she was still a younger girl, and seeing her talent, Ustad Bhurji Khan’s family immediately took a liking of her, and she started spending long hours with them. Her ties with the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana were to strengthen still, when she started learning from, Ustad Alladiya Khan’s nephew Ustad Natthan Khan; though she really came into her own under the tutelage of Ustad Ghamman Khan, who came stay with their family in Mumbai, to teach her mother thumri-dadra and other semi-classical forms [ [http://www.tehelka.com/story_main7.asp?filename=hub100904Passages_shobha.asp Passages... Passages... Passages...Shobha Gurtu: a rare raga] Tribute "Tehelka", October 9, 2004.] [ [http://archives.digitaltoday.in/indiatoday/20041011/obituary.html Soul Singer Gurtu's rare mastery of thumri took the form to new heights] "India Today", October 11, 2004] .

Shobha Gurtu specialized in semi classical forms as thumri, "dadra", "Kajri", Hori etc, effortlessly adding pure classical passages into her singing, thus creating a new form, and reviving the magic of forms like, Thumri, of which she became a greatest exponent in time. She was particularly influenced by singer Begum Akhtar and Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan [ [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20041010/women.htm#3 TRIBUTE - She infused life into thumri] "The Tribune", October 10, 2004.]

She also gave music in Marathi and Hindi cinema [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/hindi/specials/1744_obit_pix/page8.shtml 2004: ये नहीं रहे 2004- Obituary] BBC News, Hindi, 2004. ] . As a playback singer, she first worked in Kamaal Amrohi’s film, "Pakeezah" (1972) [imdb| 1040209] , followed by " Phagun" (1973), where she sang, ‘Bedardi ban gaye koi jaao manaao more saiyyaan’. She earned a Filmfare nomination as Best Female Playback Singer for the song "Saiyyan Rooth Gaye" from the hit film "Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki" (1978). [ [http://deep750.googlepages.com/FilmfareAwards.pdf 1st Filmfare Awards 1953 ] ] . In Marathi cinema she sang for films like "Saamna" and "Lal Mati".

Over the years, he travelled all over the world for concerts, including at one the Carnegie Hall, New York City, performing along side musical greats and, Pt. Birju Maharaj [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9807E2DE1638F936A2575AC0A961958260&scp=1&sq=Shobha%20Gurtu&st=cse MUSIC REVIEW ; At Carnegie Hall, an All-Star Cast From India] "New York Times", September 15, 1997.] . She often lend her voice the collaborative jazz albums, of her son Trilok Gurtu. In 2000, she featured in the Jana Gana Mana Video, which was released to mark the 50th year of the Indian Republic, where she sang the Indian National Anthem, "Jana Gana Mana", along with other leading classical singers and musicians of India. In 1987, she received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, and later awarded the "Lata Mangeshkar Puraskar", "Shahu Maharaj Puraskar" and the "Maharashtra Gaurav Puraskar". In 2002, she was awarded the Padma Bhushan.

After reigning over Hindustani classical music genre, for five decades, as the Queen of Thumri, Shobha Gurtu passed away on 27th September 2004, and was survived by her two sons.

Personal life

She married Vishwanath Gurtu, and took the name Shobha Gurtu. Her father in law, ‘Pandit Narayan Nath Gurtu’, was a highly placed officer in Belgaum Police, scholar and a sitar player .

Her son Trilok Gurtu is a famed percussionist [ [http://www.trilokgurtu.net/biography.htms Trilok Gurtu Biography] ] . Her other son's name is Narendra.

Awards

* Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1987
* Padma Bhushan in 2002
* Lata Mangeshkar Puraskar
* Shahu Maharaj Puraskar
* Maharashtra Gaurav Puraskar

Further reading

* "The Great Indians", by One India One People Foundation. Published by One India One People Foundation in collaboration with Authorspress, 2006. ISBN 8172733186. "page 513".

References

External links

*amg|label= Shobha Gurtu|id=11:bme997r7krjt~T1
* [http://www.shobhagurtu.com Shobha Gurtu Website]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLZ5Zs9fFJQ&feature=related Shobha Gurtu sings "“Saiyaan Nikas gaye’’" (Raag Bhairav)]