ARTISTS

Narendra Nath Dhar is one of the finest exponents of the Seniya Gharana who is known for his innovative and refined style, as well as for upholding the traditional pattern of pure and untainted Ragdari. Born in Calcutta in 1954, Pandit Narendra received his initial training in sarod from his father, the late Shri Nemai Chand Dhar, who himself excelled in sarod playing. After the death of his father, Narendra came under the tutelage of Shri Samarendra Nath Sikdar, and later, under the late Pandit Radhika Mohan Maitra. The doyen of sarod played a crucial role in nurturing Narendra as one of the topmost sarod players of his generation. His musical prowess received a further honing under Ustad Amjad Ali Khan.

Shri Dhar has performed in almost all of the prestigious music conferences of India and has also toured abroad. A popular AIR and TV artist, he has captivated audiences all over the world with his exquisite command over the sarod and the melodious stream of notes that he creates. His elegant alap, colorful ekhara tans, exotic jhala and admirable control of tala and laya recall the great masters of this instrument.

The talent of Shri Dhar has been duly recognized over the years. In 1970, he was a prize winner in the All India Radio Music competition in instrumental music for the sarod. He was also awarded the National Scholarship from the Department of Culture, Govt. of India, for intensive training in Sarod from 1975 to 1978. In 1995, Shri Dhar was honored with the prestigious Naushad Award by the Government of Uttar Pradesh for his outstanding contribution in the field of instrumental music. In 2000, he was also awarded the Academy Award for his contribution in instrumental music by the U.P. Sangeet Natak Academy. Many recordings of Shri Dhar have also been released by different companies in India and abroad.

Since 1981, Shri Dhar has shared the stage with many great instrumentalists of Indian music, such as: Ustad Bismillah Khan, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Vilayat Khan, Pandit V G. Jog, Pandit Nikhil Banerjee, Pandit Debu Chaudhary, Pandit M.S. Gopal Krishnan, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasiya, Pandit Buddhaditya Mukherjee, Ustad Shahid Pervez. He has also performed with incredible vocalists, including: Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Pandit Jasraj, Pandit Bal Murli Krishnan, Smt. Girja Devi, Smt. Kishori Amonkar, Smt. Parveen Sultana, Pandit Rajan Sajan Mishra, Pandit Ajay Chakraborty, Ustad Rashid Khan, and Smt. Ashwini Bhide. He has also performed alongside many great dancers.