Manik Varma

Manik Varma
Born	16 May 1926
Died	10 November 1996 (aged 70)
Occupation	Singer

Manik Varma (Hindi: माणिक वर्मा ) (16 May 1926 – 10 November 1996) is considered the doyen of Hindustani classical music from the Kirana Gharana, Agra Gharana most known for her song, Amrutahuni Goad. She also excelled in semi-classical and light music like Thumri, Marathi Natya Sangeet, Bhavgeet and Bhakti geet (Devotional Music). She was a disciple of Hirabai Barodekar, daughter of Abdul Karim Khan and Sureshbabu Mane son of Abdul Karim Khan (1872–1937), the founder of the Kirana Gharana. She took further training from Ustad Azmat Hussain Khan "Dilrang" and Pt. Jagannathbua Purohit "Gunidas" or Agra gharana.

In April 1955, her songs became part of the Geet Ramayan, a presentation of songs on Ram, a weekly, year-long programme by All India Radio (AIR), Pune, along with artists like Lata Mangeshkar, Yogini Joglekar, Usha Atre, Babanrao Navdikar and Sudhir Phadke.

A number of renowned artists including Asha Khadilkar, Shaila Datar were trained under her. She was legend of Marathi Sugam Sangeet (Light Music). Many new singers perform Riyaz (song practice in early morning) of her songs at initial stage of their training.

Her maiden name was Manik Dadarkar (Devanagari: माणिक दादरकर). Her daughters include, Rani Varma who is also a well-known singer in her own right, Aruna Jaiprakash, Bharati Achrekar, an actor and Vandana Gupte, a Marathi stage, film and television actor.

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