Ulhas Kashalkar

Pandit Ulhas N Kashalkar (b. 1955) is a noted Hindustani classical vocalist. He has received training in the Gwalior, Jaipur and Agra Gharanas, and is considered a legitimate representative of all three schools.cite web
title = Artist of the Month: Ulhas Kashalkar
publisher = ITC Sangeet Research Academy
url = http://www.itcsra.org/aom/artist_ofthe_month.asp?aomid=23
accessdate = 2008-06-07]

Early Life

Pandit Kashalkar was born in Nagpur. He received his first lessons in music from his father N D Kashalkar, a lawyer by profession and a noted amateur vocalist and musicologist. cite web
title = Ulhas Kashalkar
publisher = Eternally Art
url = http://amykumar.com/ullaskashalkar_bio.html
accessdate = 2008-06-07] He went on to study music at Nagpur University, topping his post-graduate class. Around that time, he trained under Rajabhau Kogje and P N Khardenavis. He initially worked as a programme executive at the Thane station of All India Radio. In 1993 he became a Guru at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy, where he remains today.

Tutelage

Indian music is contoured heavily by its pedagogic tradition of Guru Shishya parampara. An examination of an artiste's musical lineage often yields rich insights into his musical style and personality. Kashalkar studied principally under Pandit Ram Marathe and Pandit Gajananrao Joshi.

Ram (Ramchandra Purshottam) Marathe (1924-1989), popularly referred to as "Rambhau", was a vocalist in the Gwalior tradition. He was a disciple of Mirashibuwa, who in turn studied under the legendary Balakrishnabuwa Ichalkaranjikar, a key figure in the history of the Gwalior Gharana. Pandit Marathe also trained in the Agra style for fifteen years under Jagannathbua Purohit. That apart, he was a prominent actor and music director in the Marathi stage. [cite web
last = Parrikar
first = Rajan P
title = Ram Marathe
publisher = Vijaya Parrikar Foundation
url = http://www.parrikar.org/vpl/profiles/marathe_profile.pdf
accessdate = 2008-06-07]

Gajananrao Joshi (1910-1987) was an extraordinary figure in the annals of Hindustani music. His father Anant Manohar Joshi was a prominent vocalist and a direct disciple of Balakrishnabuwa Ichalkaranjikar of Gwalior. Gajananrao learnt from his father for many years. However, in a step almost unprecedented for the son of a renowned musician, he also trained under notables of other gharanas, such as Vilayat Hussain Khan of Agra and Manji Khan of Jaipur. [cite book
last = Das Sharma
first = Amal
title = Musicians of India
publisher = Naya Prokash
date = 1993
location = Kolkata ] Even more extraordinarily, he taught himself the violin (reportedly at the behest of the ruler of Aundh, a princely state he was employed in).cite news
last = Nadkarni
first = Mohan
title = Pandit Gajananrao Joshi
publisher = Times of India
date = 1987-06-29] Kashalkar undertook a long period of tutelage under him. Indeed, most characteristic features of his style can be traced to Gajananrao's vocalism.

As a Musician

Both Rambhau and Gajananrao were uncompromising traditionalists despite their eclecticism and diversity of tutelage. This finds ample reflection in Kashalkar's vocalism as well. He possesses the rare ability to switch between three distinct styles (namely Gwalior, Jaipur and Agra), at times even in the course of a single performance. [cite news
last = Sarvamangala
first = C S
title = The Many Moods of Khayal
publisher = The Hindu
date = 2003-02-24
url = http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2003/02/24/stories/2003022401270100.htm] At the same time, he adheres strictly to the aesthetic contours of each individual style, and also to the formal and aesthetic demands of the raga being presented. He is noted for his authentic presentations of obscure traditional ragas. [cite news
last = Gupta
first = Nilaksha
title = Curious Mix in a Raga
publisher = The Telegraph
date = 2004-01-09
url = http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040109/asp/atleisure/story_2767314.asp] In an uncharacteristically expansive passage, the veteran music critic Prakash Wadhera once noted:

Ulhas is a fabulous vocalist, still in his middle years and young, who has an old musical head stuffed with innumerable current and rare ragas and compositions. Like a computer he never errs in any raga or composition howsoever intertwined or tricky it may be. He, just seems to press one key and out comes a raga in the true Jaipur colours, another to obtain a melody attired in the Agra style and still another to get a raga in the Gwalior habiliments. One can only imagine Kashalkar's questionless loyalty to his various gurus, and his own prodigious capacity to assimilate and consolidate the incoming knowledge. [cite news
last = Wadhera
first = Prakash
title = A Rendezvous with Pure Melody
publisher = The Hindu
date = 2000-05-12
url = http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2000/05/12/stories/0912070a.htm]

As a Teacher

Indian music today is witness to a disquieting trend, where senior musicians fail to produce disciples of adequate merit. [cite news
last = Mukherjee
first = Arindam
title = Heir Gloom
publisher = Outlook
date = 2006-09-25
url = http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20060925&fname=Cover+%28F%29&sid=1&pn=1] Ulhas Kashalkar is a noted exception to this phenomenon. As resident Guru at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy, he has mentored several excellent students (the Academy website lists him as one of their "most sought-after gurus"). Shashank Maktedar, [cite web
title = Artist of the Month: Shashank Maktedar
publisher = ITC Sangeet Research Academy
url = http://www.itcsra.org/aom/artist_ofthe_month.asp?aomid=25
accessdate = 2008-06-07, ] [cite news
last = Bellur
first = Smita
title = Humming a Song of his Own
publisher = Deccan Herald
date = 2005-04-09
url = http://www.deccanherald.com/Archives/Apr92005/arts121014200548.asp] Omkar Dadarkar, [cite web
title = Our Shishyas Perform: Omkar Dadarkar
publisher = ITC Sangeet Research Academy
url = http://www.itcsra.org/shishyas/shishyas.asp?shyid=8
accessdate = 2008-06-07] and Ram Deshpande [cite web
title = Ram Deshpande
publisher = Underscore Records
url = http://www.underscorerecords.com/artists/details.php?art_id=73k
accessdate = 2008-06-07] have already achieved prominence as concert vocalists. Other promising students include Ojesh Pratap Singh, Samarth Nagarkar, [cite web
title = Samarth Nagarkar
publisher = Artists-India Gallery
url = http://www.artists-india.com/resume/samarth_nagarkar.php
accessdate = 2008-06-09] Ruchira Kale, [cite web
title = Ruchira Kale
publisher = Artists-India Gallery
url =http://www.artists-india.com/resume/ruchira_kale.php
accessdate = 2008-06-09] Sadhana Mohite,cite web
title = Story of ITC-SRA: Our Scholars - Past
publisher = ITC Sangeet Research Academy
url = http://www.itcsra.org/sra_story/sra_story_scholars/sra_story_scholars_past.html
accessdate = 2008-06-14] Ranjani Ramchandran, and his own son Sameehan Kashalkar.cite web
title = Story of ITC-SRA: Our Scholars - Present
publisher = ITC Sangeet Research Academy
url = http://www.itcsra.org/sra_story/sra_story_scholars/sra_story_scholars_present.html
accessdate = 2008-06-14]

Footnotes