Amit Kavthekar (Marathi: अमित कवठेकर; born 11 August 1984) is an Indian tabla player known as the last ganda-bandhan (ordained disciple) of Utd.

[2] Kavthekar was born and raised in the Shivaji Park neighborhood of Mumbai to a Deshastha Brahmin family.

Regarded as a child prodigy, Kavthekar (aged 6) was brought before Ustad Alla Rakha for consideration as a disciple.

[9] As an accompanist, Kavthekar has performed with prominent musicians like Ravi Chary,[10] Ronu Majumdar,[11] Shahid Parvez,[12][13] Amjad Ali Khan,[14][15] Pandit Jasraj, and Lata Mangeshkar.

[19] As an ensemble player, Kavthekar has played in jazz and fusion groups in the United States and India.

[23][24][25][26][27] Since 2019, he has performed in the ensemble quartet Purna Loka with Purnaprajna Bangere, Jeff Harshbarger, and David Balakrishnan.

[35][36] In 2022, Kavthekar made his debut at the prestigious Sawai Gandharva Sangeet Mahotsav, accompanying Amjad Ali Khan with Anubrata Chatterjee.

[41] After settling in Boston, Kavthekar became leading faculty of the New England School of Music (NESOM) where he actively teaches tabla to dozens of students.