Incredible Indian Musicians

[dipu]

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Zakir Husain

And finally, we draw this post to a close with the sensational and fluid table maestro, Zakir Husain. With hundreds of international awards and accolades to his credit, he is something of a national treasure today and widely regarded as the best tabla player in the world! He's conquered every musical realm, collaborated with the greats and is easily one of the most sought-after musicians India has ever had to offer.

His is a name that is synonymous with Indian music and musicians and truly does nt require introduction or elevation because his music and career over the years more than speaks for itself.

[dipu]

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Zubin Mehta

As the second Zoroastrian Indian to make it to this list, it's important to note that they excelled in very different musical genres indeed! As the son of the renowned concert violinist Mehli Mehta, great things were always expected of this phenomenally successful composer but her ended up surpassing even the highest of expectations.

His composer and conductor's career has been one of the most illustrious careers the world has ever seen. He was the Music Director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra for 13 years (longest in the orchestra's history) and has conducted over 3000 concerts across 5 continents. Since 1985, he has also been the chief conductor of the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Florentino in Florence. He's been made an honorary citizen of more than one country making him on of the most prestigious Indian musicians of all time.

[dipu]

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Freddy Mercury

And another one bites the dust. Though many of you may not know it, Queen's legendary frontman, Freddy Mercury, was in fact born Farrokh Bulsara, resided in Dadar's Parsi Colony and studied at St. Peters School in Panchgani, thus making him India's one and only international rock star! Though he did not often discuss his heritage he was deeply influenced by his childhood in India and Time magazine called him one of Asia's 60 Most Influential Heroes!

His vocal prowess was undeniable and till today, there have been very few vocalists who have come close to his ferocious talent either with respect to songwriting or performing. He was noted for using a wide range of musical genres within one creation, using everything from rockabilly to heavy metal to disco as well as for his amazingly flamboyant performances as well. When he passed away due to AIDS related complications in 1991, the world mourned the loss of this unforgettable music star but considering the fact that he gave us Bohemian Rhapsody, it's impossible to imagine that his legacy will ever die out.

[dipu]

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Nitin Sawhney

Sawhney is on of those artists who's become the face of an exciting new breed of globalized artists, whose audience is as diverse as his musical inspirations. His sound is so distinct it's instantly recognizable and he is renowned for his incredible musical versatility without ever losing sight of his deep Indian roots.

Today, he is a firmly established world-class producer, songwriter, DJ, multi-instrumentalist, orchestral composer and of course, a cultural pioneer. In many ways, he is a modern day Renaissance man in the melodic realm of this world anyway, and the unbeatable pairing of his innate creativity combined with an astonishing volume of output makes him one of the greatest contemporary Indian musicians in the world!

[dipu]

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Subbulakshmi

It was her exquisitely flawless voice that carved M.S. Subbulakshmi out to be the greatest exponent of Carnatic music. And it was this almost ethereal, divine characteristic to her gift that earned her the first ever Bharat Ratna to have ever been inferred upon a musician. There was a transcendental element to her music that allowed it to cross—as it should—all barriers of race, religion and geography. This is why her fans were by no means only Indians but people from nations all over the world. Incidentally, Mahatma Gandhi was one of her biggest fans and was famous for having said that he'd 'rather hear her speak her songs, than someone else sing it!'
Everything from her devotion to her tone and pitch was nothing short of perfect making her voice inimitable and her should undying. When she passed away on December 11, 2004, India mourned her loss deeply but remained optimistic knowing that her rich legacy of music would never leave this soil.

[dipu]

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Pandit Ravi Shankar

Pandit Ravi Shankar is a musical enigma. One of India's most esteemed musical ambassadors, tales of his legendary sitar and composition skills have travelled across the seven seas, without even the slightest need for embellishment. And besides being a phenomenal performer, composer, teacher and writer, this powerhouse of classical music talent is even better known for his pioneering work in bringing Indian music to the West.

He may be aging fast now, but his zest for life and music is a never-ending state of being for him. His ridiculously impressive repertoire includes 3 sitar concertos, authoring violin-sitar compositions for Yehudi Menuhin, flute compositions for Jeanne Pierre Rampal, collaborations with george Harrison and Philip Glass, given birth to 2 super talented musician daughters (Anushka and Norah Jones) and even composed for films and ballets in India, U.S. and Canada. And just in case none of this is impressive enough for you (which would render you completely delusional in our opinion) meet the only Indian musician to have performed at Woodstock '69!

[dipu]

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A.R. Rahman

His is hardly a name that requires a preamble, especially in light of his more recent international success (he bagged oscars for his scoring of Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire and has been jet-setting between an L.A. studio and Mumbai ever since). He is the pride and joy of the Indian nation, musically and otherwise, thanks to his feat of having redefined contemporary Indian music in the most magnificent way possible.

For someone who was given a lucky opportunity by Mani Ratnam back in the '90s for whom he composed Roja's legendary Tamizha Tamizha, Rahman has come a long, long way since. His strength lies in an impeccable sense of melody, rhythm, cultural nuances topped with an immaculate understanding of sound engineering. It's an unbeatable combination which has rendered him as not only one of the top music composers in India, but the world too!

[dipu]

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Before we begin, consider this note to be a fair warning. No list like this one can ever be 100% agreed upon. Nor can any artist be more deserving of eulogies than another. So taking all of this into account we came up with this all-encompassing list, though it is concise, of Indian musicians who have truly been recognized for their prowess beyond our borders.

Then we coupled that up with picking names from different styles of music and that's how this post was born. Agree or disagree, you're bound to learn a few things along the way so read on, absorb and enjoy.

[dipu]

These 7 musical maestros have put India on the map over the years and delivered some of the most unforgettable melodies and beats the world has ever known!

[abhisays]

good......................... nice info.. thanks for sharing.........

[dipu]

good......................... nice info.. thanks for sharing.........

thanks ..................................... :hello: