Tarun Bhattacharya

Tarun Bhattacharya
Pt. Tarun Bhattacharya
Background information
Genres	Indian classical music
Instruments	santoor

Pandit Tarun Bhattacharya (born 23 December 1957) is an Indian classical musician who plays the santoor, a type of hammered dulcimer. He has learnt from Ravi Shankar.

Bhattacharya was born on 23 December 1957 in Howrah (the twin city of Calcutta), India. A commerce graduate from one of the most reputed colleges of Calcutta, young Bhattacharya followed the call of his heart, music, after a few brief years of professional life. His early talim (music instructions) was from his father, Rabi Bhattacharya, honed his skills under the strict vigil of Pt. Dulal Roy and finally the culmination of his learning curve was when the greatest musical icon of India to the world stage Bharat Ratna late Pt. Ravi Shankar accepted young Bhattacharya as his only disciple on Santoor of the Maihar Gharana.

Bhattacharya has been a pioneering and revolutionary musician who has changed the face of Indian classical music. One of the most celebrated torch bearers of Indian classical music, he has traversed the globe many times over, performing in such venues and cities as Royal Albert Hall, Palace-de-beaux (Brussels), Theater-De-La-Viile (France), Apollo Theatre (Spain), Jubilee Auditorium (Canada), and the Kremlin (Russia). His admirers include Prince Charles, George Harrison, and Paolo Solaris.

The famous Maihar Gharana's only santoor maestro, Bhattacharya has revolutionized santoor, the instrument, as well as its style of play. In 1980, he showed for the first time ever that it was possible to 'meend' or glide notes at the lower octave in a hammered instrument like santoor.

Bhattacharya is the inventor of "mankas" or fine tuners that help in the tuning of this 100-stringed instrument fast, with a long-lasting effect and a very high degree of accuracy. His innovative techniques of playing the santoor also facilitates in the playing of "Krintans, Ekharatans, Boltans" broadening the utility of the santoor in various traditional art forms. His improvisations on the shape and string arrangements have resulted in a deeper and more classical sound for the santoor. Bhattacharya is recognized for his wizardry in Ragdari, as well as Layakari (mathematical calculations).

Bhattacharya has released over 100 CDs and cassettes. He has been the recipient of numerous felicitations like pre Grammy nomination in 97, excellence in world music USA, and his CD Kirwani has been acclaimed as the top 10 in the world.

He has endorsed the End Polio Now campaign of Rotary International as its ambassador, and has been recognized by the Indian National Polio Plus Committee both at India Habitat Centre and the Calcutta Press Club for his role in promoting the cause.