Ashim Chowdhury
In the domain of Indian classical music, Ashim Chowdhury has established himself as one of the most talented Sitar Players of his generation, representing the glorious traditions of Great Imdad Khani Gharana.
Handling an instrument like the Sitar depends on the ingenuity and dexterity of the player. Ashim’s unique talent and acuity always generates expectations in the hearts of his avid fans and it goes to his credit that he lives up to their expectations quite appreciably. No wonder, his recitals draw a full house of receptive, responsive and spell bound audience every where.Ashim has always been passionately involved in music, that’s his aqua vitae. He was initated into music by his father Shri Shibu Chowdhury, a renowned tabla player. At the tender age of five, Ashim took up the Sitar under the tutelage of an eminent Sitar Maestro, Late Ustad Benjamin Gomes.
In the year 1985, Pandit Bimalendu Mukherjee, a doyen of the Imdad Khani Gharana, took Ashim under his wings, from whom Ashim took the lesson of disciplined development of raga based on the Gayaki or Khayal Ang, the essence of the Imdad Khani Gharana to bring out the music of soul from his instrument.
Ashim always considers himself quite fortunate to have such a great and versatile Guru like Pandit Mukherjee who helped him in bringing his best mesmerising everyone with his musical wizardry, carving out an exclusive place for himself in the hearts of music lovers.
Through a first class Post Graduate in the subject Mathematics (MSc.) and MBA Ashim successfully took up the challenge of establishing himself as one of the best Sitar Players of the country with his intense desire to develop this art further.
Ashim has received numerous awards and honour in this field of art, to name a few, West Bengal State Music Academy Awards (1st place in 1989), the prestigious “SURMANI” title from Sur Shringer Samsad, Mumbai, “Maharishi Gandharva Ved “ Award from Delhi, “Sangeet Alankar” (M.MUS) from Gandharva Maha Vidyalaya etc.
He is an empanelled artiste of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), which assists and sponsors the abroad tours. He is also an ‘A’ – graded Sitar Player of all India Radio and Dooradarshan. In the year1995, his audio cassette got published from Calcutta.
He has been honored as a judge of A.I.R. and his Sitar featured in the signature tune of Doordarshan Agartala.
Ashim is a regular performer in numerous conferences and concerts across the country round the year.
No doubt this young and talented Sitar Player has been rightly hailed as the torch bearer of this rich cultural heritage of India.
About Me
M.Sc.(Mathematics)
C.A.I.I.B., MBA
'Sur-Mani, 'Sangeet-Alankar' (M. Mus)
ICCR Empanelled Artist