Indian Music Maestro Pandit Jasraj Passes Away

New Delhi : Indian music maestro Pandit Jasraj is no more. He died in New Jersey in the United States of America today morning.

Born on January 28, 1930, to a Brahmin family, Jasraj was initiated into vocal music by his father who was also a classical singer who died in 1934 when Jasraj was four.

His siblings are vocalist Pandit Maniram and musician Pandit Pratap Narayan, the father of music composer duo Jatin-Lalit, singer-actress Sulakshana Pandit and actress Vijeta Pandit.

After his father’s demise, Jaraj trained as a tabla accompanist under his elder brother, Pandit Pratap Narayan. He began training as a vocalist at the age of 14, after renouncing tabla in reaction to how accompanists were treated at the time

In 1952, when he was 22, he performed his first stage concert as a vocalist in the court of King Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah of Nepal in Kathmandu. Before becoming a stage performer, Jasraj worked as a performing artist on radio for several years.

Jasraj’s performances of classical and semi-classical vocals have become albums and film soundtracks. He has taught music in India, Canada and the US. Some of his students have in turn become notable musicians.

He has been decorated with Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Bharat Ratna Bhimsen Joshi Classical Music Life Achievement Award and many other awards for his contribution to the field of music.