Buddhadev Das Gupta

Buddhadev Das Gupta (b. 1933) - Indian classical sarod musician and teacher currently residing in Kolkata, India. He is one of the artists featured in Nimbus Records's Raga Guide

Pandit Buddhadev Das Gupta is the senior most exponent of one of the most authentic sarode gharanas today, the seni-shahjahanpur gharana. One of the better-known cultural ambassadors of our country, he was born in 1933 at Bhagalpur and started his training from the age of ten from the sarode maestro Pandit Radhika Mohan Maitra. His training continued for a period of 38 years until the demise of his teacher – the longest and most intensive training imparted by the great maestro to a disciple.

Since Pandit Radhika Mohan Maitra took his talim from Md. Ameer Khan, whose gharana’s forte was the rabab-style of playing and also from Md. Dabir Khan of the Rampur- Senia gharana, his style is based largely on that of his teacher’s - emerging from a synthesis of the two gharanas. However, it is his unique musical personality that has shaped a distinctive style, completely his own. A deep understanding of the raga, a rare accuracy of the swaras, a superb balance between gayaki and tantrakari, together with powerful bol patterns and fluent ekhara taans, of which he has been a pioneer, mark his music. He started broadcasting at the age of 16 and has featured in over 20 National concerts and Radio Sangeet Sammelans.

A veteran performer at all the major festivals for over five decades, he also has a number of commercial recordings to his credit. He has done considerable research work on sarode and music in general, and is known for his lucid articles and lectures. He has held audiences spellbound with his bandishes based on Rabindranath Tagore’s songs, a unique concept pioneered by him.

He has been honoured with many awards including the Sangeet Natak Academy Award (1993), Shiromani Award (1989), ITC Award (2002), Ustad Chand Khan Memorial Award (2006), Bhuwalka Award (2006), Legends of India Lifetime Achievement Award (2007) and Pracheen Kala Kendra Award (2007).

Pandit Buddhadev Das Gupta is an accomplished teacher. His education, articulation and communicative abilities have combined with intelligent teaching techniques to ensure that his students become able performers. At present, he is a Guru of ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata, and is also as a member of its Experts Committee He is also the Chairman of the West Bengal State Sangeet Academy.