Sivasakti Sivanesan

Contact
T. 020 7381 3086

E. sivasakti.sivanesan@bhavan.net

Celebrating 25 years of teaching at the Bhavan in 2009, Karnatic Vocal and Vina students are lucky to have a teacher of Sivasakti Sivanesan’s calibre to guide them. Her commitment towards teaching and preparing students to a professional standard is very special because she is compassionate yet disciplined. She has trained several students to Arangetram level and beyond. She is a well known vocalist and Vina player as well as a fully trained Nattuvangam artiste. Bhavan owes a lot to Sivasakti’s contribution to the Karnatic Music section.

Prakash Yadagudde

Contact
T. 020 7381 3086

E. bhavanprakash@yahoo.co.uk

He is arguably the most committed, creative and affectionate teacher of Bharatnatyam in this part of the world. When one traces the development of Bharatnatyam in the UK, the role played by Prakashji in popularising this art will be most significant. As a teacher, as a performer, as a choreographer, his contribution to Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, UK, is unique and many students trained under him have established themselves as professional artistes, choreographers and artistes.
Prakashji joins Sivasakti Sivanesan in celebrating a great milestone in 2009. He too has now completed 25 glorious years of teaching at the Bhavan.

Sanjay Guha

Contact
T. 020 7381 3086

E. sanjay.guha@bhavan.net

Sanjay Guha is one of the established Sitar artistes in the arena of Indian classical music. He belongs to the Maihar-Senia gharana tradition. His musical tutelage began at an early age under the tutelage of his uncle, Sri Satyabrata Guha (disciple of the late Pandit Balram Pathak). He later received training from the Sarod maestro, the late Radhika Mohan Maitra, and for the last 24 years he has been taking taaleem from Pandit Deepak Chowdhury (disciple of the great Sitar maestro Bharat Ratna Pandit Ravi Shankar). Sanjay Guha has also in addition, been getting special guidance from Pandit Ravi Shankar since 2004.

M. Balachandar

Contact
T. 020 7381 3086

E. m.balachandar@bhavan.net

Bala, as he is popularly known, is a star and a brilliant Mridangam artiste. His understanding of the situation and his playing of the Mridangam are unmatched. As a teacher, as a composer, and as an accompanist, Bala is simply wonderful. Bhavan and his students have richly benefited from his services as can be seen by his production line of outstandingly versatile young percussionists. Bala has also accompanied all the top musicians and dancers of the North and South.

Abhay Shankar Mishra

Contact
T. 020 7381 3086

E. abhay_shankar.mishra@bhavan.net

Sri Abhay Shankar Mishra – who represents the best of the Lucknow, Banaras and Jaipur Gharanas (traditions) – is our full time Kathak teacher. He hails from a family of classical musicians and teachers. He is the disciple of Padma Vibhushan Pandit Birju Maharaj and has also studied under Urmila Nagar and Pandit Pandey Maharaj. He is a stunning performer and a brilliant teacher. He has taught at both the Kathak Kendra and Sahitya Kala Parishad in Delhi and has performed at many festivals in India and abroad. He is undoubtedly one of the most outstanding Kathak artistes of the present day.

Rajkumar Misra

Contact
T. 020 7381 3086

E. rajkumar.mishra@bhavan.net

Rajkumar Mishra is our Tabla teacher. He hails from Calcutta and belongs to a family of musicians and dancers. He learned music under Pandit Ram Gopal Mishra, Pandit Gnan Prakash Ghosh and Shankar Ghosh. He is also very proficient at accompanying in Kathak dance, an art he perfected with his mother Sushmita Mishra. He has toured extensively in India and abroad and has accompanied many of India’s most renowned musicians and Kathak dancers.

Chandrima Misra

Contact
T. 020 7381 3086

E. chandrima.misra@bhavan.net

Chandrima Misra is our full-time teacher of Hindustani Vocal and Harmonium. She belongs to the Patiala Gharana. Coming from a family of musicians Chandrima is a disciple of the very well known Hindustani Vocalists Ustad Munawar Ali Khan and Mrs. Sanjukta Ghosh of Kolkata. She is also a professional singer.

Balu Raguraman

Contact

T. 020 7381 3086

E. balu.raguraman@bhavan.net

This talented young musician made a name for himself in India where he gave solo concerts as well as accompanying many famous musicians. Balu’s bowing and fingering techniques have met with interest and approval. He is also a talented composer and is arguably the most professional solo violin artiste and accompanist in the UK.

After qualifying with a Distinction as a Sangeet Prabhakar, Sajali has since evolved into a much talented and accomplished singer specialised in Indian Classical Music and Bengali songs. An All India Radio (Kolkata) artiste, having performed in Door-Darshan (DD)Television. She has participated in various concerts as a Director, Artiste and as a Judge in music competitions and shows in India and East Africa (Kenya & Uganda).

Sajali has regularly trained in Classical music for over a decade under the guidance of Late Dr. Jamini Nath Ganguly and Mrs. Jharna Banerjee and continues to learn from her renowned Gurus namely Dr. Biman Mukhopadhay, Pt. Ajoy Chakraborty and Smt. Maya Sen. At present, she teaches a variety of Bengali Music at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (West Kensington) including songs based on Rabindra Sangeet, Nazrul Geeti, Dwijendra Geeti, Atul Prasadi, Rajnikanth and Raag Pradhan.