Khanak Newsmailer

Vikas Bhatawadekar: Music Guru, Shaping Voices, Preserving Traditions

When none other than Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkarji, refers to you as the ideal light music teacher there is reason to rejoice. Vikas Bhatawadekar, over the last three decades, has trained over 600 students in Mumbai and Gujarat, many of whom today are professional performers and playback singers. A bottomless well of music scholarship Vikas has gone on to score the music for over 50 theatricals, and TV serials, with icons like Suresh Wadkar, Ravindra Sathe, Swapnil Bandodkar vocalizing his creations.

A man who has traversed the journey from a learner to a performer to a revered music guru, Vikas was also given the honor to guide singers Roop Kumar Rathod, Sonu Nigam, Jagjit Singh ji and of course, Lata Mangeshkar ji for late Madan Mohan’s film Veer Zara.

Sandeep Mishra: Sarangi culture and legacy

Sandeep Mishra, is one of the few exponents of this magnificent bowed instrument that continues its remarkable journey across the musical world. Hailing from a family of Sarangias, adhering to the Banaras Gharana, his versatility marks him as one of the shining lights of this ancient soulful Saaz. Having begun his musical sojourn at the tender age of four years, training as a vocalist under his grandfather Pt. Narayandas Mishra it was Sandeep’s father Pt. Santoshdas Mishra who groomed him in the rare musical instrument that went on to become his calling… the Sarangi. Sandeep, over the years, has gone on to master both the Tantkaari and the Gayaki Ang of playing

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Tamasha, Tradition and Cinema: The expansive soundscape of Maharashtra

Centrally located in the country, Maharashtra, has been stimulated by musical and cultural influences from the northern and southern India. The variety of music on offer in Maharashtra mirrors the sheer magnificence of the cultural and musical heritage of the region.

As a medium that connected masses across there was the indelible presence of the divine in the music of Maharashtra. This pristine virtue of music emanated from the long on-going Varkari Pratha(tradition), the magnificent music and poetry gift of the singer-saint culture prevalent in Maharashtra.

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Vaishali Samant – An overflowing ocean of musical talent

One of the most prolific and multifaceted talents of the music industry Vaishali Samant, exploded on the music scene as an independent artist with her chartbusting single “Aika Dajiba”. Her interest in the technical aspect and fascination toward composing gave her the wings to establish herself as one of the leading music composers of Marathi films and independent albums. No less than Legendary singers like Lata Mangeshkar, Usha Utthup, Suresh Wadkar, Shankar Mahadevan, among others have voiced her mellifluous compositions. She has recently recorded a duet with Sudesh Bhonsale, where she has sung, composed and written the lyrics for the film जन्म ऋण that also won her a best lyricist award.

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Indian music royalties hit new high amid digital boom, Netflix and Amazon on radar

The digital boom in India is striking the right chord with the country’s authors, composers and publishers as royalties surge to new highs and now their music copyright society is eyeing a share in the streaming pie.

Indian Performing Right Society Ltd. (IPRS) which collected royalties of over Rs 700 crore in FY25 attributes the increase to digital explosion. The Society represents thousands of Indian authors, composers, and publishers of music.

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