Girindra Chandra Pathak

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Girindra Chandra Pathak is an Indian musician and music educator based in Munger, Bihar. He is a tabla maestro and light classical singer known for his excellent skills in imparting training and performing on stage, particularly in tabla and vocal music of the Banaras Gharana.

Early Life

Girindra Chandra Pathak was born on 12 November 1955 in Munger, Bihar. He is the son of the late Pt. Kanhaiya Dutt Pathak. He began learning tabla recital and classical vocal music under the Guru Shishya tradition from the legendary tabla wizard, the late Pt. Chhotelal Mishra of the Banaras Gharana, from the age of six.

Education

Girindra Chandra Pathak holds a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree, and a Master of Arts in Music. He is also a research scholar.

He learned semi-classical singing, including Thumri, Dadra, Ghazal, and Bhajan, from Ustad Wazid Ali Khan of Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. He earned Sangeet Prabhakar, a Bachelor of Music (Vocal and Tabla, First Division), and Sangeet Visharad (Light Music, First Division) from Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad. He earned Sangeet Ratna, a Master of Music (Tabla, First Division), from Bangiya Sangeet Parishad, West Bengal, affiliated with Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata. He also received a Gold Medal with Certificate of Merit in the Sangeet Bhaskar (Master of Music) First Class examination from Pracheen Kala Kendra, Chandigarh.

Career

Girindra Chandra Pathak is a music teaching artist and performer specializing in tabla and vocal music at the Indian level, with more than 45 years of experience imparting training in tabla and vocal music to maintain the glory of the Banaras Gharana. He serves as the Director of The Institute of Art and Music Realisation in Munger, a self-established music institution imparting vocal and instrumental training. He is also the founder secretary of "Kala Sewarchanam," a trust registered under the Government of Bihar focused on the development of art and other social activities.

He is a writer, composer, and singer of semi-classical songs, including Thumri, Dadra, Bhajan, Geet, and Ghazal. He has been approved by All India Radio, Delhi, since 1987, and has produced Tabla Solo performances and accompaniments with eminent artists of the country, with recordings and performances also available on YouTube.

He provides guidance for stage performance and attends music workshops for theory and practical training. He serves as a practical examiner of music at the University of Delhi, and as a jury member in music competitions organized by the Central Government, State Government, Bharti Siksha Samiti Bihar, Bharat Bikash Parishad's "Global Voice of Bharat," and other institutions.

He has written reviews on books and articles relating to music, including "Ek Awalokan" (An Overview), a review of the book "Tabla ka Udgam Evam Delhi Gharana Pracheen Vandishon ka Sangrah" by Dr. Kumar Rishitosh, Tabla Maestro and Assistant Professor at Delhi University. His articles have also been regularly published in Kala Samay, an art and culture magazine based in Bhopal, including "Banaras Gharana – Shri Sankat Mochan Stuti Paran" (March 2023) and an article on the origin and significance of the syllable "Dha" as used in the playing of Avanaddha (percussion) instruments (July 2023).

He was recognized with a Senior Fellowship Award by the Government of India, Ministry of Culture (2018–19), in classical music for research work on instrumental music, focused on preserving the ancient glory of Indian music relating to "Stuti Paran" of the Banaras Gharana, titled "पखावज एवं तबले पर बजने वाले स्तुति परणों का संचयन एवं विश्लेषणात्मक अध्ययन" (A Compilation and Analytical Study of Stuti Parans Played on Pakhawaj and Tabla). His research work under this fellowship (through CCRT, Delhi) has been completed with final honorarium payment, with a related book currently in process for permission and publication.

Achievements

Girindra Chandra Pathak has received numerous honours over his career, including:

• Honoured by the District Magistrate, Munger, at the All India Music Conference (1987) and Independence Day Festival (2019) for excellent performance
• Honoured by "Sanskar Bharti" on multiple occasions, including at Poorvanchal Kala Sadhak Sangam, Munger (1992); Trayodash Kala Sadhak Sangam, Patna (1994); Amrit Mahotsav, Muzaffarpur (2000); Kshetriya Sanskritik Chetna Abhiyan, Patna (2006); and the Rajat Jayanti Samaroh in memory of Padma Shri Dr. Shailendra Nath Shrivastava, Patna (2006)
• Honoured by Eastern Railway at the Rail Raj Bhasha Jayanti Samaroh, Jamalpur (2000)
• Honoured with the "Pt. Chandra Shekhar Khan Award" by the District Administration, Munger (2003), for his contribution to Dadra and Thumri styles of singing
• Honoured with the "Naad Ratna" Samman by Padma Shri Vidushi Shanno Khurana, eminent vocalist, at a music conference at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi (2009)
• Honoured with the "Naad Sadhak Samman" (2012) and "Naad Bibhuti Samman" (2014) by Naad Aura Musical Odyssey, New Delhi
• Honoured by the Minister of Art & Culture, Bihar, for excellent performance in Tabla Solo as a representative artist of the Banaras Gharana at the All India Music Conference, Motihari (2014)
• Honoured with the Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee Kala Sahitya Samman by Sanskriti Manch Bihar Pradesh (2016)
• Honoured by the District Magistrate, Munger, at "Ang Mahotsav & Bihar Divas – 2017," for performance in Geet and Ghazals and contribution to music

He was recognized with the Senior Fellowship Award by the Government of India, Ministry of Culture, for his research work on instrumental music (2018–19), as detailed further under his career.

Philanthropy

Girindra Chandra Pathak received Yoga Diksha (Karm Sanyas) from Guru Padma Bhushan Paramhansa Swami Niranjanand Saraswati, enabling him to extend yoga training free of cost to those in need. He is active in social activities as Patron of Bharat Bikash Parishad and Dadhichi Deh Dan Samiti (Munger unit), and as District President of Samskar Bharti, Munger.

External Links

• WhatsApp Group