''Pandit'' Ramhari Das (, ; born 1953) is a leading singer, composer, musicologist and Guru of

Odissi music music () is a genre of classical music in India, originated from the eastern state of Odisha. The traditional ritual music for the service of Lord Jagannatha, Odissi music has a history spanning over two thousand years, authentic ''sangita-sha ...

. Known for his renditions, compositions, lecture-demonstrations and writings, Das has served as a professor and led the Odissi vocal department in prominent musical institutions of Odisha, including the

Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya is a performing arts-cum-educational institution in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. History and Accreditation Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya was established by former Chief minister of Odisha Biju Patnaik on 14 April 1964, ...

and the Utkal University of Culture. He is the founder of '' Ramhari Das Odissi Gurukula'' at Biragobindapur,

Puri Puri () is a coastal city and a municipality in the state of Odisha in eastern India. It is the district headquarters of Puri district and is situated on the Bay of Bengal, south of the state capital of Bhubaneswar. It is also known as ''S ...

. For his contributions to

, Das received the

Sangeet Natak Akademi award Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (IPA: Saṅgīta Nāṭaka Akādamī Puraskāra), also known as the Akademi Puraskar, is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recognit ...

in 2008.

Life

Born in 1953 in Balasore, Das started his initial training in Odissi music from his uncle Radhakrushna Das and Guru Prafulla Kumar Sur. He continued under Gurus including

Markandeya Mahapatra Bhargava Markandeya ( sa, मार्कण्‍डेय ) is an ancient rishi (sage) born in the clan of Bhrigu Rishi (Bhargava Brahmins Community). The Markandeya Purana especially, comprises a dialogue between Markandeya and a sage ca ...

, Balakrushna Das, Bhikari Charan Bal and

Gopal Chandra Panda ''Pandit'' Gopal Chandra Panda (, ; born 1940) is a Guru of Odissi classical music, vocalist, researcher and composer. A disciple of Singhari Shyamsundar Kar, he has authored several books such as ''Odissi Raga Ratnabali'' & ''Odissi Raga Darpa ...

as a student in the Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya. He later served as a lecturer in the same institution and then as the head of the Odissi music department from 1985 to 2010. He is a leading singer and composer of Odissi music. Besides solo recitals and vocal accompaniment in dance, he has won acclaim for composing a large number of songs for Odissi dance and dance-dramas. Outside of these, he has sung for Odia films and television serials. Among his published writings are the books ''Odissi Sangitara Parampara O Prayoga, Sangita Sangya,'' ''Alankara Ratnabali'' and ''Kala Sikhya'' (published by the Board of Secondary Education, Odisha). Das has several research papers & articles to his credit and has presented in various seminars & conferences across the nation. He has also received a Senior Research Fellowship from the Government of India for his research on Odissi music. He has been connected in various capacities with cultural instiutions in Odisha, including the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi, the Utkal University of Culture, where he served as the head of the Odissi vocal department and the Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Research Centre, where he served as the chief executive. He is one of the chief architects of ''Sangita Sudhakara Balakrushna Dash foundation'' that organises an annual three-day festival of Odissi music. Guru Ramhari Das'
Odissi Sangita Pathasala
' is a series of graded lessons on Odissi music available for free on YouTube, in which Das himself teaches the history of Odissi music, core musical concepts, ''shastra''s (treatises) with an individual treatment of ''raga''s and songs.

Institution

Das is acclaimed for his efforts to develop musical awareness and education in Odisha. He has conducted Odissi music recitals in several educational institutions through

SPIC MACAY ''Spic'' (also spelled ''spick'') is an ethnic slur used in the United States for people from Latin American countries and states. Etymology Some sources from the United States believe that the word ''spic'' is a play on a Spanish-accented pron ...

. He has established the '' Ramhari Das Odissi Gurukula'' in the village of Biragobindapura in the Puri district. The Gurukula is a training-cum-research institute that imparts education in Odissi music & dance and organises workshops & seminars. Students are trained in Odissi classical vocal,

Odissi Mardala Mardala () is a classical percussive instrument native to the east Indian state of Odisha, traditionally used as the primary accompaniment in Odissi classical music. The instrument is different from other instruments that might have similar names ...

and Odissi Bina (Veena) by Guru Ramhari Das, Guru

Dhaneswar Swain Dhaneswar Swain (; born 18 May 1953) is an exponent and Guru of the Odissi Mardala, the traditional percussion instrument of Odissi music. He is known for his rhythmic compositions and fingering techniques, as well as his efforts to promote solo M ...

& Guru

Ramarao Patra ''Pandit'' Ramarao Patro (; born 1947) is an Odissi music Guru, Odissi Bina exponent or ''Binākāra'' (also spelled ''Veena''), noted composer & vocalist. He has composed music for hundreds of Odissi dance items and has worked closely with t ...

respectively. It is the only institution in the state that imparts training in Odissi Bina (Veena). An annual festival called ''Gurukula Utsav'' is conducted to showcase diverse facets of Odissi music through curated performances.

Awards and honours

Das has received various titles and awards including the central and Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi awards. *

Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (IPA: Saṅgīta Nāṭaka Akādamī Puraskāra), also known as the Akademi Puraskar, is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recognit ...

(2008) * Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2008) *Orissa Dance Academy, Bhubaneswar *Utkal Sahitya Kala Parishad, Cuttack * Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Samman, awarded by the President of India *Guru Singhari Samman from Guru Gopal Panda Odissi Academy, Bhubaneswar *Jadumani Das Saraswata Pratibha Samman (2017) *Guru Sahadev Padhi Memorial Award (2019)

Published works

* ''Odissi Sangitara Parampara O Prayoga (2004)'' * ''Sangita Sangya (1989‌)'' * ''Alankara Ratnabali (1984)''

References

External links