Bhimsen Joshi

In February 1922 Gadag, now part of the Indian state of Karnataka, gave birth to Bhimsen Joshi, an exceptional male exponent of Hindustani music whose recitals unfailingly generate delight. An early and intense passion for music propelled him to abandon his family home while still very young. Following a series of wanderings, he found stability as a disciple of Sawai Gandharva, the Kirana gharana exponent counted among Abdul Karim Khan’s most distinguished students. Bhimsen Joshi possesses a full, resonant voice that remains rigorously classical yet carries an intimate, time-worn warmth.