Ashwini Bhide Deshpande

Amongst the vocalists of the younger generation of the Jaipur-Atrauli tradition of Khyal singing, Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande is an artiste of great caliber

Amongst the vocalists of the younger generation of the Jaipur-Atrauli tradition of Khyal singing, Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande is an artiste of great caliber. She has been performing in a number of prestigious music conferences in India for over fifteen years, and has had successful concert tours of Europe as well as of the North American continent.

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Ashwini began her training at the age of five under the guidance of Pandit Narayanrao Datar. After graduating with a Sangeet Visharad from Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, she started receiving guidance and meticulous attention from her mother, Smt. Manik Bhide, a great Khyal singer herself.

Ashwini has inherited all that was best in her mother's style and was able to add a lot to her repertoire with great sensitivity and intellect. Presently she is receiving guidance from Pandit Ratnakar Pai, a veteran of the Jaipur Gharana. Ashwini has worked with Pandit Ravi Shankar in his music score for the film Gandhi.

Systematic exposition of the Raag structure, brilliant phrasing, variety of taan patterns and ease and grace in all of the three octaves mark her singing. She does not merely present the grammer of a Raag, but can build it up into an aesthetically pleasing experience. Ashwini also excels in rendering Bhajans and other light classical forms.