Renowned Hindustani classical vocalist Kishori Amonkar passes away

Kishori Amonkar, the renowned Hindustani classical vocalist, passed away in Mumbai on 3 April 2017. She was 84.

Amonkar, one of the foremost singers in the Hindustani tradition, was an innovator of the Jaipur Gharana. The Jaipur Gharana is a community of musicians sharing a distinctive musical style.

Kishori Amonkar

• Born on 10 April 1932 in Bombay (now Mumbai), Kishori began receiving vocal lessons in Hindustani classical music from several Gharanas along with her mother Mogubai Kurdikar.

• Trained under her mother, classical singer Mogubai Kurdikar of the Jaipur Gharana, Kishori was a performer of the classical genre khyal and the light classical genres of bhajan and thumri.

• In 1964, she turned towards the film music and sang playback for Geet Gaya Patharon Ne (1964) but returned to classical music.

• Later in 1990, she sang for the film Drishti.

• She received a plethora of awards, including

a) The Padma Bhushan in 1987

b) The Padma Vibhushan in 2002

c) Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1985

d) Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship in 2009

e) Dr TMA Pai Outstanding Konkani Award in 1991