Suresh Wadkar is a famed Indian playback singer who has sung a number of enchanting renditions for Hindi as well as Marathi film industries. After being groomed in Indian classical music, he started his career as a music instructor. Later he stepped into the Hindi film industry and established himself as one of the prominent playback singers of Bollywood. He has also lent his voice to Bhojpuri and Konkani songs. Being the winner of National Film Award and many other accolades, he has worked with several renowned music composers of Indian film industry. He also owns the credit of performing with some of the most admired artists of the country.
Early Life of Suresh Wadkar
Suresh Wadkar was born on 7th August 1954. He has received music training from a young age. In the year 1968, at the age of 14, he got the responsibility of teaching a student from his teacher Acharya Jialal Vasant, a prominent classical musician and music instructor. It was just before his examination for graduation in music through Prayag Sangit Samiti when his teacher gave him this responsibility because "Prabhakar" certificate is equivalent to B. Ed. and renders an individual the authority to teach professionally. Suresh Wadkar completed his degree successfully and then took up the profession of music teacher at Arya Vidya Mandir in Mumbai. During his felicitation Acharya Jialal Vasant had appreciated him greatly as the torch bearer of music. He is also accredited with the introduction of first online music teaching school called "SWAMA" (Suresh Wadkar Ajivasan Music Academy) under Ace Open University.
Career of Suresh Wadkar
Although Suresh Wadkar had an extensive training in Indian classical music, he participated in the Sur-Singar competition in the year 1976. The prominent music composer of Indian film industry, Jaidev, judged the competition. Suresh emerged as the winner in the competition and was later offered the song "Seene Mein Jalan" for the movie Gaman by Jaidev. The film released in the year 1978. He also lent his voice for the songs of the movie Paheli.
His renditions in various films impressed the celebrated playback singer Lata Mangeshkar who strongly recommended him to music directors including Kalyanji-Anandji, Khayyam and Laxmikant-Pyarelal. Laxmikant-Pyarelal soon offered him a duet song, `Chameli Bagh Mein`, with Lata Mangeshkar for the movie Krodhi in 1981. Subsequently he got offers for playback singing in the movies Pyaasa Sawan, Hum Paanch etc. The turning point in his career arrived with Raj Kapoor`s movie Prem Rog which released in 1982. His renditions in the movie garnered him great popularity in the music industry. In the following years Suresh Wadkar sang a number of songs under R.K. Banner and often did layback singing for Rishi Kapoor in the films like Prem Granth, Heena, Bol Radha Bol and many others. Other movies in which he sang include Maachis, Rangeela, Satya, Vivah, Omkara, Kaminey, 7 Khoon Maaf etc.
Apart from Bollywood, he has also sung songs for Tamil films. He has also worked with some top notch music directors of Marathi film industry such as Pt. Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Vasant Desai, Shrinivas Khale and others. His devotional songs in various languages earned him further fame in the world of music. Suresh Wadkar has also produced the movie Tanman.com. He has also judged the singing reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Little Champs International. He has also delivered several stage performances with esteemed artists such as Pt. Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Asha Bhosle, Lata Mangeshkar and Kavita Krishnamurthy.
Achievements of Suresh Wadkar
Suresh Wadkar has won several accolades for his soulful renditions. In the year 1976 he won the Madan Mohan Best Male Singer Award at the Sur-Singar competition. In 2004 he received Lata Mangeshkar Puraskar instituted by Madhya Pradesh Government. He has also been the winner of Maharashtra Pride Award given by the Government of Maharashtra to citizens of note in 2007. Suresh Wadkar has also bagged the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer for the song `Hey Bhaskara Kshitijavari Ya` for the Marathi movie Mee Sindhutai Sapkal.
Personal Life of Suresh Wadkar
Suresh Wadkar is married to Padma, a classical music vocalist by profession. The couple is blessed with two daughters namely Ananya and Gia.