Smt Mita Nag

The Torch-Bearer of a Family Legacy: Meet Mita Nag, a Leading Female Sitarist

Miss Mita Nag, daughter of veteran satirist, Pandit Manilal Nag and grand daughter of Sangeet Acharya (a master musician) Gokul Nag, belongs to the Vishnupur Gharana of Bengal, a school of music nearly 300 years old. In terms of lineage, Mita is the sixth generation sitar player in her family, the tradition having begun with her fore fathers. It was with her grandfather Gokul Nag, who had become the Guru of a noted zamindar (feudal lord) family of Uttarpara, a Northern suburb town of Kolkata, that the music of the Nag family came into limelight. With her illustrious father Manilal, the sitar tradition of Vishnupur gharana was made known to the world.

This Gharana follows the Dhrupad style of song and the instrumental recital too, imitates the dhrupad style in the Alap phase.
Mita appeared for her debut performance at the age of ten years, the year 1979 being observed as the International Year of the Child. The same year Mita won the Junior National Talent Search Award of the Govt .of India.

Mita has performed in a number of concerts, solo as well as duet recitals with her father in major cities of India and in many cities of the US, Canada, Japan and Europe. She was awarded the Junior Fellowship Award by the Human Resource Development, Govt of India, for her research project on Vishnupur Gharana.

Website: Mita Nag

Hassan Haider

Hassan Haider is an acknowledged Sahnai player. His family hails from Allahabad, and he was born in Kolkata (Calcutta) on April 6th 1985. His father Ud. Ali Ahmed Hussain was a famous Sahnai maestro. His family has been representing this art form for generations.

Hassan Haider received his training in Benaras and Senia Gharanas from his father. He also learned from Pt. Arvind Parikh, the famous sitar maestro from school of Ud. Imdad Khan, Ud. Enayat Khan and Ud. Vilayat Khan. Hassan’s great grandfather Ud. Wazir Ali Khan was a musician of distinction who was the first musician to ever perform the Sahnai at the Buckingham Palace in London, England in 1910 and was awarded by Pt. Motilal Nehru, the father of India’s first Prime Minister Jawharlal Nehru.

Even at this young age, Hassan Haider has already performed at many important music festivals, venues and occasions in India, such as The Autumn Festival of Dance and Music in celebration of India’s 50th year of independence, Dover Lane Music Festival in Kolkata, Harballav Festival in Jalandhar, Uttarpara Sangeet Chakra in West Bengal, Sri Ram Shankarlal Festival in Delhi, Ud. Alauddin Khan Academy in Bhopal, Sangeet Natak Academy in Pune, only to name a few. All of his performances have been well reviewed in newspapers and magazines.

Website: Hassan Haider

Pandit Subhen Chatterjee

Pandit Subhen Chatterjee is a renowned classical and fusion tabla artist from Kolkata. He trained under the guidance of the legendary Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri of Lucknow ghrana. Subhen ji has accompanied several well-known musicians like Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Pandit Jasraj, Vidushi Girija Devi, Vidushi Shobha Gurtu, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Paul Horn, David Crosby and many others.

He is a member of the band Karma and is also a regular performer at WOMAD festival. He is a recipient of a Grammy nomination, Just Plain Folk (JPF) Award nomination, Jadu Bhatta Award from Salt Lake Music Conference and Honorary Citizenship from the State of Alabama.

Subhen ji holds a record in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest single performance by the largest number of musicians live on stage.

Website: Subhen Chatterjee