Hindustani Vocal Recital by Pandit Arnab Chatterjee

Pandit Arnab Chatterjee

The musical heritage initiated by Ustad Abdul Karim Khan Sahab and Ustad Abdul Wahid Khan Sahab, the doyen of Kirana Gharana has meandered through the ages and is still survived by a quite a few vocalists. Pt. Arnab is unambiguously identified as one of them. Pt. Arnab was born and groomed in a musical atmosphere amidst nature in a small town of Basirhat, near Kolkata. Initiated into music at the early age of five by his father Late Sangeetachariya Sri Arun Kumar Chatterjee, a learned musician of the Kirana Gharana, Pt. Arnab was later groomed by none other than Late Pt. A Kanan, Vidushi Malabika Kanan and Ustad Mashkoor Ali Khan. 

Arnab turned into a young performer very early in his life. At the age of seven he shared the stage with Ustad Amjad Ali Khan at Suresh Sangeet Sammelan, Kolkata in the year 1979. ITC SRA Sangeet Sammelan 1981 saw him as a nine year old performer bursting with confidence. Securing top position in competitions has been his way of life. A recipient of the National Talent Scholarship, Pt. Arnab was awarded the gold medal along with the Degree of Sangeet Visharad with first position. 

Being an A-grade artist at the All India Radio (AIR) & Doordarshan Kolkata, his regular performances have been appreciated all over the world. He also performed at The National Programme of Music broadcasted at AIR. The Sur Singar Samsad, Mumbai, bestowed him with the Title of `Surmani`. Pt. Arnab was an ex-scholar of ITC-SRA, Kolkata and had joined as a faculty member in the year 1998. He studied under the kind guidance of Late Pt. A Kanan, Vidushi Malabika Kanan and Ustad Mashkoor Ali Khan. He is an empanelled artist of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). 

Besides, Arnab stood the first position in All India Music Competition organized by Pt. Omkarnath Thakur Sangeet Mandal, Bharuch, Gujarat in the year 2002. Now he is attached to Rabindra Bharati University, Bengal Music College (University of Kolkata) and Vishwa Varati Shantiniketan as an external Examiner of Classical Vocal Music. Bhartiya Sanskriti Samsad, Kolkata awarded him as the best vocalist in the year 2005. 

Pt. Arnab was deputed at Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre, Dhaka, Bangladesh as Hindustani Vocal Music trainer cum performer by ICCR from 2010 to 2012. He has number of students in India and abroad who are internationally acclaimed performers in the field of Hindustani Classical Music. 

Besides a musician, Arnab Chatterjee is a graduate in Economics from the University of Kolkata. Currently, Pt. Arnab is one of the most acclaimed vocalists. He is maintaining the pure tradition of Kirana Gharana and mixes other forms of gayaki as well to make his presentation colorful.