Veena Sahasrabuddhe is a noted vocalist of Hindustani classical music. She was born in a family of musicians on 14th September 1948 at Kanpur. Besides being a noteworthy vocalist she has also proved her brilliance as a teacher. She carries the style of Gwalior gharana as well as the tradition of Jaipur and Kirana gharana. Veena Sahasrabuddhe have mesmerized the audience all over the world through her performances.
Early Life of Veena Sahasrabuddhe
Veena was born on 14th September, 1948 to late Pundit Shankar Shripad Bodas, who was a disciple of Pundit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar. Veena Sahasrabuddhe`s induction to the musical career started with her introduction to the traditional Kathak dance. Her father inducted her to the Khayal singing. Later on she was trained under the great tutelage of legendary musicians like Padmashri Balwantrai Bhatt, late Pundit Vasant Thakar and late Pundit Gajananbua Joshi.
Veena Sahasrabuddhe has obtained her B.A degree in Vocal Performance, Sanskrit Literature, and English Literature from Kanpur University in the year 1968. She also earned Sangeet Alankar (MA) in Vocal Performance from Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal in the year 1969. Later on she did MA in Sanskrit from Kanpur University in the year 1979 and Sangeet Praveen (Doctor of Music) in Vocal Performance from Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal in the year 1988.
Career of Veena Sahasrabuddhe
She has performed at many esteemed venues and occasions including `Tansen Samaroh` in Gwalior and `Sawai Gandharva` in Pune. She has also performed at the `Vocal Festival` in Stockholm and at the `Voices of the World` festival in Copenhagen. At this festival she has been chosen to represent Indian Classical music. Veena Sahasrabuddhe has recorded many cassettes to her credit on khayal and bhajans.
She has started teaching music since the year 1976. Later on she established "Shankar Sangeet Vidyalaya", a school of music attached to the `Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya` (A.B.G.M.V) Mandal. From June 1985 to August 1990, she has also learned at the S.N.D.T. College of Arts and Commerce for Women, Pune. At that college she has been ornamented the post of head of the Department of music from the year 1988 to 1990. From the year 2002 to 2004, Veena Sahasrabuddhe was appointed as the Adjunct Professor of music at the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai.
Awards won by Veena Sahasrabuddhe
In the year 1993, she has been conferred the `Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi Award` for her contribution to the domain of Indian classical music. She has won the award in the Vocal Classical category at the competition held nationwide organized by AIR (State-owned national radio network) in the year 1972. Veena was nominated for "Best Vocal Album of the Year (1993)", I SUMU Awards, Mumbai for her album Immaculate Ragas (Rhythm House Classics).
Veena Sahasrabuddhe has exhibited many lecture demonstrations to. To name a few, she has conducted lecture demonstration at the St. Xavier`s College, Mumbai, and on the "Vividh Bharati" channel of All India Radio.
Today Veena Sahasrabuddhe has created her own distinct style, which has its root in the tradition of Gwalior gharana. Some basic principles of Kirana and Jaipur gharanas are also present into her distinct style of `gayaki`. Veena Sahasrabuddhe is also executing bhajans apart from khayal.