- By Bidisha Roy
Veteran Sikh community leader Master Mohinder Singh, a former president of Gurdwara Sikh Cultural Society, Richmond Hill, and a founder President of Gurdwara Baba Makhan Shah Sikh Center, was born in 1948 in Miani, a remote village in Hoshiarpur district of Punjab, India. His family members were farmers but his father was a police inspector. Elder to two brothers and one sister, Mohinder Singh aspires to be a teacher from his childhood. After completion of his B.Sc. and B.Ed. from govt college, he started his career as a school teacher in 1970. In 1974, he went back to his village after getting a job in the govt high school there.
In 1985, Mohinder Singh moved to the USA for a better life and better opportunities. He started his new journey as a construction worker and within two years established his own construction company and ran the company until 1999. His family – wife, two daughters and one son joined him in 1995.
He never got disconnected from his root and engaged himself into social and cultural activities. Master Mohinder Singh was two-time president of Gurdwara Sikh Cultural Society, Richmond Hill, New York. Later he founded Gurdwara Baba Makhan Shah Lobana Sikh Center in South Richmond Hill and was a president for the organization for three terms.
He became a voice for the Sikh community when it suffered significantly post-9/11 with discrimination. He was a part of Sikh delegation who met US president George Bush after 9/11 and raised many issues including the future of the Sikhs.
“I work with so many assembly members and city council members. As a result of which Congressman Gregory Mick and speaker of the city council became my good friends. Many politicians visit our Gurdwara and most of the time, I introduce them to the audience. When mayor (NYC) Eric Adams was inaugurated, I did the prayer (Sikh) for him. I performed prayers for many other leaders along with other religious heads.” Master Mohinder Singh is in close touch with NYC mayor and discusses various issues with him regularly.
Master Mohinder Singh is also very active in Indian politics. When Prime Minister Modi came to the USA for the first time, he was invited to meet him and conveyed him about the difficulties Sikh community is going through. “I categorically told him that if every religion gets equal treatment, only then India will progress. If you give special treatment to one religion at the cost of other religion, India will never be strong.”
He is also very critical about the current situation in India. “When India got independence, the only goal was secularism. The government should respect all religion. But look at India now – all the fear is created for Muslims. The central government is ignoring the difficulties of the Punjab farmers. The Prime Minister does not utter a single word (regarding the issue) in the parliament. He is the prime minister for everybody – who cast vote for him or did not – he is the prime minister for all. It’s his duty to solve the issue. What is happening is not democracy. We are the largest democracy but we are not listening to the voice of people”
He feels that the government must talk to the farmers and fulfill not all but few demands because if the famers don’t survive, India will also not survive. He also strongly advocates for creating employment opportunities for current and future generation.
“I love India, I respect India. I am talking for the betterment for all Indians – not only Sikhs – Hindus, Muslims, Christians and all other religions that make the Unified India”, he signs off.
Archana Joglekar, Founder-Director, Archana Nrityalaya, The Kathak Dance Academy, USA, is one of the top Kathak dancers of India, is the first Kathak dancer to perform at The Elephanta Festival, Mumbai and the first and perhaps the only Indian classical dancer to perform at the Reykjavik Art Festival in Iceland, besides various prestigious art festivals in India. She has conducted lectures and demonstrations at Duke University, North Carolina and Princeton University, New Jersey. She was invited to teach Kathak during the spring semester at Princeton University for two consecutive years. She has performed at Lincoln Center by invitation from Julliard. She is an accomplished choreographer in the field of live stage shows, feature films and television. Her choreographies have been highly acclaimed by critics.
Pandit Rupak Kulkarni, an extraordinary flute maestro, stands as a vibrant testament to the timeless tradition of Indian classical music. His journey is one of profound mentorship and exceptional talent, having trained under the legendary Padma Vibhushan: Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia. Rupak Kulkarni’s artistry is characterized by his unique ability to recreate and compose ragas, bringing a fresh sensuality and creativity to each performance. His training in Dhrupad and Khayal Gayaki allows him to infuse his recitals with a rare combination of melodious Aalap and scintillating Tatkar (tonguing technique used for Jhala). His innovative improvisations are accompanied by mesmerizing Layakari, creating an unforgettable musical experience.
Sanjib Bhattacharya, recipient of President’s Awards from Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam in 2006 and Smt. Pratibha Patil in 2011 is an accomplished Manipuri Dance Exponent, Guru and well-known Choreographer of India and abroad. He has received his training under the tutelage of Guru Bipin Singh, Padmashri Darshana Jhaveri, Kalavati Devi, Manjushree Chaki Sircar and Mamata Shankar. He is currently an established performer of great repute having extensively performed across India and abroad. He is not only performing as a solo artist but is also performing with eminent Gurus and Icons of Indian Classical dances like Padma Vibhushan Sonal Mansingh, Padmashri Darshana Jhaveri, Padmashri Ranjana Gauhar, Sadanam Balakrishnan and other eminent gurus all over India and abroad. He runs several dance academies and institutions in India and Abroad while conducting Lecture Demonstrations and workshops regularly across the Globe.
Supriyo Dutta is a distinguished performer in Hindustani Vocal Classical music and has performed extensively in India as well as in the United States of America, Australia, Europe, Sri Lanka. He is trained under some of the finest and legendary icons of Indian classical music, namely Pandit Ramkrishna Basu (Indore gharana), Padmashri, & Sangeet Natak Academy Ratna awardee Pandit Vijay Kichlu & Vidushi Subhra Guha. He was a National Scholar under Ministry of Culture as a student and also a recipient of the Gold Medal from the Governor for securing M.A. (1st position in Vocal Classical music). Other than all these Supriyo has won many prestigious awards in his musical journey so far and is also an empaneled artist of the ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations).
Kankana Banerjee inherited a keen sense of music from her very childhood and had early lessons of Classical Hindustani Music from her mother. Early in 1955, when Kankana was a child, she had the privilege to be introduced to Late Ustad Amir Khan of Indore. In a very informal gathering, the Late Maestro discovered an in-born musical talent, and a seven-year-old Kankana won his heart by skillful attachment to the masterly tune of the Maestro. Eventually it became apparent that Amir Khan was looking for a disciple to whom he would impart his own ideas of music to be carried on to the next generation. Gifted with a sweet and sonorously rich voice stretching over an amazing wide range, Kankana would in – turn, fathom the intricacies of Indore Gharana and won a cherished place in the sphere of Hindustani Classical Music.
Student of Pandit Sankar Ghosh of Farrukhabad gharana, Arup Chattopadhyay has established himself as a top-class accompanist and a formidable soloist. His performances are admired for their tonal quality, crystal clear sound of bols (tabla syllables) even at an electrifying speed, and tremendous sense of rhythm and melody. He was a professor of tabla at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in London. Since 1998 he has been a visiting lecturer of tabla at the University of California, San Diego. His performances with most of the leading artists like Late Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Ashish Khan, Ustad Shahid Parvez, Ustad Rais Khan, Pandit Rajan and Sajan Mishra, Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty, Pandit Manas Chakraborty, Pandit Viswamohan Bhat, Ustad Rashid khan, Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumder, Pandit Nayan Ghosh and Pandit Kushal Das among others, has established him as a top-notch accompanist throughout the world.
An empaneled artist of Indian Council for Cultural Relations, SpicMacay and Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, Anjan has started learning Sitar under the tutelage of Pt Debiprosad Chatterjee at a very tender age. Anjan was awarded National Scholarship from the Ministry of Culture, Govt of India in the year 1992. He has achieved the rare feat of obtaining National Scholarship for the second time in the year 1998 from the same ministry. A graded artist of All India Radio and Television, Anjan has been performing extensively in India, USA, UK, Germany, France, Belgium, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Qatar, East Asia and Bangladesh. He regularly conducts workshop in schools in Germany. Besides performances Anjan is a Music Director. His compositions Surya, Kautuk, water, Vasanti Sringar, Sristi Sthiti Pralaya, Anandachakram are noteworthy.
Indrajit is one of the most talented young exponents of Rampur Senia Gharana in the venerated lineage of Pandit Birendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury and Pandit Subroto Roy Chowdhury. He is based out of New York and maintains a rigorous tour schedule across the continents. As an international artist, Indrajit has performed in a range of distinguished venues. Brought up between USA and India, Indrajit has a rich diversified background to draw from which is clearly observed in his collaborations and own compositions. As a versatile and creative musician, he has performed with distinguished artists from other genres including the acclaimed Jazz artist, Wynton Marsalis. Indrajit has also collaborated with the Orchestra- Jazz at Lincoln Center and the same was featured in the film “Song of Lahore” which was premiered in Tribeca Film Festival.
Phil Scarf is pioneering the performance of North Indian classical music on soprano saxophone, exquisitely capturing the music’s subtlety and depth. Phil is a master jazz saxophonist, and leads world-jazz ensembles; Natraj and the Lewis Porter-Phil SCARF Group. Phil has performed with icons of Indian classical music including Ronu Majumdar, Shashank, Kadri Gopalnath, Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman, Trichy Sankaran, Chitravina Ravikiran; as well as African master drummers Godwin Agbeli, Abubakari Lunna, Nani Agbeli, and Lamine Toure. Phil performs and records with creative jazz ensembles including Aardvark Jazz Orchestra, Jazz Composers Alliance, Filmprov, and OddSong. Phil received extensive training Hindustani music in Pune, India, from vocalist Pt. Shreeram Devasthali, leading sundri artist Pt. Suryakant Khaladkar, and shehnai master Pt. Shyamrao Lonkar, and in Boston, USA, from sitar master Peter Row, and vocalists Kalpana Mazumdar and Warren Senders.
Sarod virtuoso Apratim Majumdar is a composer of very special quality, and a brilliant performer. Apratim was initially tutored and groomed by Prof Rabin Ghosh, disciple of Ustad Alauddin Khan in strict discipline and style of Senia Maihar Gharana. He also received training from Shree Partho Sarothy, disciple of Ustad Dhyanesh Khan and Pandit Ravi Shankar. Presently he is under training of Dr. Pradip Kumar Chakraborty, one of the senior-most disciples of Pt. Ravi Shankar. Apratim is an empaneled artist of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Govt. of India was awarded “SUR MANI” Title by Sur Singar Samsad (Mumbai). He is recipient of JADUBHATTA AWARD (Kolkata) and NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY AWARD (NEW YORK). At the moment, being one of the busiest Artists, he is performing throughout India and regularly traveling on concert tour to Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Austria, Netherlands and USA.
She is Assistant Director of Noopura Institute and Head of the Department of Mohiniyattam. She was instructed in Mohiniyattam by Smt. Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma and in Odissi by Guru Trinath Maharana. She also received training in Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi. Mrs. Kurup is one of the foremost exponents of Mohiniyattam and has performed all over India, USA, West Germany, Bahrain, and UAE.
Lakshmi has won numerous awards including one from Sangeetha Nataka Academy. She specializes in Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi. Her Kuchipudi dance ‘Tharangam’ is noted for grace, expression, and poise. Lakshmi is a recipient of a Mohiniyattam Scholarship from the Department of Culture, Government of India.
Ramesh Narayan is an Indian classical vocalist, composer and music producer who works predominantly in Malayalam cinema. Ramesh began his initial training in Carnatic music and later mastered the classical Hindustani style under the renowned Pandit Jasraj ji. Ramesh began his career composing score music for documentaries, films and Indian television programs in Hindi, Malayalam and Tamil. His film-scoring career began in the early 1990s with the Malayalam film Magrib. Ramesh Narayan has earned National Film Awards, four Kerala State Film Awards, and two Kerala Film Critics Association Awards. He has received the Indian Music Academy Award for popularizing Hindustani classical music in Kerala from the then President of India Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. Ramesh became popular by performing a 36-hour vocal recital as part of celebrating the 100 years of Indian Cinema at the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune. This performance got him an entry to the Limca Book of Records 2013 for completing the 24-hour raga cycle.
Madhushree Narayan was born to the Classical singer and music composer, Ramesh Narayan and Karnatic music artist Hema. Madhushree has been singing from the age of three and began learning music formally from her father Ramesh Narayan and later from Pandit Jasraj. Presently, she is learning nuances and styles of Thumri from Pandit Ajay Pohankar. Madhushree started her career as a singer when she was just four, making her debut in Malayalam for the movie Makalkku She has won Kerala State Film Awards for Best Female Playback Singer in 2015 and 2019 and received Kerala Film Critics Award 2014.
Aditya Narayan Banerjee is an M.A. in Instrumental Music (percussion) from Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata. Aditya turned to tabla at the early age of five when he started his training under the guidance of Sri Shivshankar Karmakar, a prominent disciple of Late Ustad Karamatullah Khan of Farrukhabad Gharana. Since 1990 he has been under the able guidance of the great table maestro Pandit Swapan Choudhuri, a great Exponent of Lucknow Gharana. Aditya is Sangeet Prabhakar from Proyag Sangeet Samity, Allahabad and M. Mus from Troilokya Sangeet Parishad, Kolkata. Aditya led a Tabla Workshop for visually Impaired children at LaVoy Exceptional Center in Tampa, Florida, USA.
In 2011, with blessings and direct guidance of Padma Vibhushan Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, Vinay began his studies under Takahiro Arai. He later moved back to USA to learn from Kunal Gunjal. To expand his knowledge in music, Vinay has learnt from many different Maestros. Vinay’s passion and dedication to Santoor allowed him to be under the tutelage of Pt. Shivkumar Sharma for several years. After his demise there is now a task upon the few people who really learned Santoor in this way to keep this music and this legacy alive. Vinay has previously performed throughout India, Argentina, Canada, The Bahamas and the USA including Hawaii. He is known for his meditative and dynamic musical phrases. His devotion to the purity and the depth of Shivkumar Sharma’s style comes forth in performance.
Steve Gorn’s bansuri is featured on the 2011 Grammy winning recording, “Miho – Journey to the Mountain,” with Dhruba Ghosh and the Paul Winter Consort, as well as the Academy Award winning Documentary film, “Born into Brothels.” He has performed Indian Classical Music and new American Music on the bansuri bamboo flute in concerts and festivals throughout the world. His gurus are the late bansuri master Sri Gour Goswami, of Kolkata, and Pt. Raghunath Seth of Mumbai, who he often accompanied in concert. He also studied with the late Ustad Z. M. Dagar. He has often performed in India, appearing at Bharat Bhavan in Bhopal, Habitat Center and Triveni Hall in New Delhi, The Sangeet Research Academy in Kolkata, NCPA, and The Nehru Center in Mumbai, and numerous other venues. In 2013, he was awarded the Pandit Jasraj Rotary Club of Hyderabad Award for Cross Cultural Achievement. His numerous recordings include Luminous Ragas, Rasika, (with tabla by Samir Chatterjee,) Illuminations, (with Nepali bansuri wallah, Manose,) the landmark Indian-Jazz fusion recording, Asian Journal, and Pranam, a jugalbandi with Barun Kumar Pal playing Hansaveena, and Samir Chatterjee, tabla.
Son of renowned tabla player Anindo Chatterjee, Anubrata’s debut as an accompanying artist was alongside Hariprasad Chaurasia, and he has subsequently collaborated with eminent musicians in the Indian classical music realm, including Amjad Ali Khan, Birju Maharaj, Shivkumar Sharma, Shahid Parvez, T. H. Vinayakram, and others worldwide. Chatterjee has performed both as a soloist and an accompanist through his tabla renditions, participating in numerous duet performances with his father. Internationally, he made his solo debut on BBC World Radio in the UK in 1991, subsequently performing at venues and festivals globally, including Carnegie Hall in New York City, Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., Esplanade Theatres in Singapore, Rietberg Museum in Zurich, the World Percussion Festival in Chicago, Jerash Festival in Jerash, Jordan, Corfu Festival in Corfu, Greece, Dubrovnik Festival in Croatia, Namaste India Festival in Japan, among others.
A dancer of immense potential, Kaberi is a devoted disciple of Guru Smt Aloka Kanungo. Kaberi has received training in Rabindra Nritya from Guru Smt Poly Guha also. She is also fortunate to attend workshops conducted by Late Padma Vibhushan Guru Shri Kelucharan Mahapatra, Padma Vibhushan Guru Smt. Sonal Mansingh, Guru Smt. Sujata Mohapatra. Graded artist of Doordarshan Kendra & Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, Kaberi was awarded National scholarship from the Ministry of Culture, Govt of India in the year 2002 and Rabindra Bharati University in 2005. She has been performing at several Dance & Music Festivals in India and abroad, like USA, Doha, Kuwait, Germany, France, England etc. Moreover, she conducts workshops at schools in Germany and she has taken a Dance Therapy Class in Milwaukee, USA for the patients who are suffering from Parkinson Disease. Presently she has been working on the relation between Vedic Sanskrit Literature, Classic Sanskrit Literature and Dance.
Hindole occupies a commendable position amongst the young tabla players of his generation. Inspired by his maternal grandfather, Late Sri Chittaranjan Roy, an ardent music lover, and his mother, Late Sunanda Majumdar, a teacher by profession and a Kathak dancer disciple of Pandit Ramgopal Mishra of the Jaipur gharana, Hindole started learning tabla at the tender age of 5. In his very first performance at the age of 10, he completely enthralled the audience. He received his first formal training from Shri Shibshankar Karmakar, a disciple of Ustad Karamatullah Khan, Farrukhabad Gharana. He continues to receive training from the great tabla maestro Pandit Sankha Chatterjee (of the Punjab and Farrukhabad Gharana) in a guru-shishya parampara. He has also had the opportunity to learn South Indian Rhythm style from the Mridangam exponent Pandit S. Shekhar. Hindole has founded the Hindole Majumdar School of Music and Dance in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in USA where he teaches Tabla and Indian Rhythm on a regular basis.
Amit Chatterjee, is a highly gifted Tabla player of India, regularly performs with some of the greatest names in Indian Classical Music. With a unique blend of both Farukhabad and Punjab’s rich musical flavor in his music, he got these rare opportunities to receive blessings of great stalwarts and maestros of the likes of Late Ustad Allarakha Khan, Late Ustad Vilayat Khan, Pandit Chinmoy Lahiri, Late Ustad Munawar Ali Khan, Late Pandit V.G.Jog, Late Pandit Kishen Maharaj, and living legends such as Ustad Zakir Hussain and Ustad Ashish Khan. Equally brilliant within traditional as well as experimental genres, Amit has carved out a unique niche for himself in his diverse avatars as classical musician. Amit is one of those rare tabla players who have been fortunate enough to acquire the intricacies and subtleties of both Farukhabad and Punjab Gharana. 
Anirban Chakrabarty hails from a family of Musicians. He was initially trained by his father, Amal Chakrabarty, a dedicated musician and guru and then he got taalim under the tutelage of Pandit Manas Chakraborty, the doyen of Kotali Gharana. After a post-graduate degree in music with first class from the Rabindra Bharati University. Anirban has been performing across the world. He has accompanied Pt. Manas Chakrabarty, Gaan Saraswati Sreela Bandyopadhyay, Pt. Venkatesh Kumar, Vidushi Ashwini Bhide, Vidushi Arati Ankalikar, Pt. Ganpati Bhatt, Pt. Jayateerth Mevundi among others in major concerts like Dover lane Music Conference, Uttarpara Sangeet Chakra, Dakshinee Music Festival, Hariballabh Music Festival, Saptak , Sangeet Piyasi, Saltlake Music Conference and in major concerts in USA and Europe year after year. Anirban also composes and arranges music in lighter forms.
Bishnupriya Chakrabarty is a renowned Indian classical singer. With a musical journey spanning over 25 years, she has trained under esteemed gurus and received accolades for her exceptional talent in khayal, thumri, dadra, and bhajan.
Shouvik is a sitar player and classical music enthusiast. He got inspired by his parents to come into this field and is determined to bring innovation to the field of sitar playing. Shouvik is a classical sitar player from Kolkata. He generally plays Hindustani music. He has performed at several prestigious music festivals in India and abroad. He has performed alongside legendary artists like the Latin Grammy award winner Ivan Santos and Padma Shri Sonu Nigam.
