Sankha Chatterjee

Pandit Sankha Chatterjee is widely known as the only living tabla master who has studied under three traditional Tabla Gharana in strict Parampara tradition.

Background

Born into a highly musical family in Calcutta, India, Sankha Chatterjee’s father was a Doctor and musical enthusiast, exposing the young Sankha to formal tuition early in life under the legendary Ustad Maseet Khan of the Farukhabad Gharana of Tabla.

Lineage

Studying under Ustad Maseet Khan, Sankha subsequently learnt from his son Ustad Keramatulla Khan and finally from Late Tabla Maestro Ustad Allarakha Khan of the Punjab Gharana.

As a consequence, Pandit Sankha Chatterjee has a unique style as a blend of three leading Gharanas (schools) which he has equally mastered, the Farukkabad, Punjab and Delhi Gharanas.

Present day

Despite his age (well over 70), he still performs and teaches. He divides his time teaching in Berlin and India as his bases and holds workshops across Europe and the United States.

His leading students are amongst some of the leading virtuosos of the younger generation of tabla players such as Gouri Shankar Karmakar, Subhojyoti Guha, Amit Chatterjee, Mihir Kundu, Friedemann Zintel and Federico Sanesi.

His daughter Sangeeta Bandopadhyay is a leading classical vocalist of the Patiala Gharana of Indian classical sangeet.

External links

*http://www.tabla-berlin.com/