Jasraj

Jasraj (28 January 1930[4]  – 17 August 2020[5]) was an Indian classical vocalist, belonging to the Mewati gharana (musical apprenticeship lineage).

His musical career spanned 75 years resulting in national and international fame, respect and numerous major awards and accolades.

[12][13] Jasraj spent his youth in Hyderabad, and travelled often to Sanand in Gujarat to study music with musicians of the Mewati gharana.

[21][22] Jasraj was initiated into vocal music by his father, and later trained as a tabla accompanist under his elder brother, Pandit Pratap Narayan.

[4] Jasraj created a novel form of jugalbandi called Jasrangi that is styled on the ancient system of moorchhana, between a male and a female vocalist, who each sing different ragas at the same time.

[32] Jasraj tutored several students who have gone on to perform as classical musicians, including Saptarshi Chakraborty,[12] Sanjeev Abhyankar,[33][26] violinist Kala Ramnath,[34][26] Sandeep Ranade,[35][36] shehnai player Lokesh Anand,[37] Tripti Mukherjee,[38] Suman Ghosh,[25] flautist Shashank Subramanyam,[39][26] Anuradha Paudwal,[12] Sadhana Sargam,[25] and Ramesh Narayan.

[40][38] He was also the founder of schools for Indian classical music in Atlanta, Tampa, Vancouver, Toronto, New York, New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Mumbai, and Kerala.

[46][47] His body was later repatriated on an Air India flight to Mumbai[48] where it was cremated with state honours and 21-gun salute at Pawan Hans Crematorium in Vile Parle.

[1][2] The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi said that his death "leaves a deep void in the Indian cultural sphere.

Jasraj with his wife Madhura on the stage of Satsang Bhawan in Govind Dev Ji Temple, Jaipur (2011).
Jasraj in a concert at Bhubaneswar
A 2023 stamp of India featuring Jasraj (center)