Pt. Raghunandan Panshikar
Instrument / Art Form: Hindustani Classical Vocal
Pandit Raghunandan Panshikar is a distinguished Hindustani classical vocalist and a foremost disciple of the late Gaan Saraswati Kishori Amonkar. His music combines the intricate raga development of the Jaipur-Atrauli tradition with expressive interpretation and a strong command of rhythm.
Born in Mumbai on 14 March 1963, Pt. Raghunandan Panshikar grew up in a family associated with Sanskrit scholarship and the performing arts. He is the son of renowned Marathi theatre actor and producer Prabhakar Panshikar. He began formal music training at the age of eleven under Pandit Vasantrao Kulkarni and later studied intensively with Kishori Amonkar for more than two decades. He also received guidance from her mother and guru, the late Mogubai Kurdikar, further deepening his grounding in the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana.
His gayaki is characterised by a resonant, full-throated aakar, intricate taans, nuanced meend and gamak, and a sophisticated understanding of layakari. He is also known for presenting complex and compound ragas, including Bhoop Nat, Shuddha Nat, Savani Nat and Basant Bahar.