Ashutosh Bhattacharya

Ashutosh Bhattacharya (17 March 1917 – 8 February 2004) was a noted Indian classical musician of Hindustani classical music from Varanasi, who was a tabla player and music educator, as well as a practicing Ayurvedic doctor.

In 1966, he was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship the highest honour conferred by Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama.

Early life and background

Born in a Bengali family in Varanasi (Benaras), Uttar Pradesh, Bhattacharya grew up in the family of Ayurvedic doctors, where both his father and grandfather practiced Ayurvedic medicine. However, at a young age he showed musical inclination and at age 8 started learning pakhawaj from Pandit Ram Nath Mishra. After a few years of training, he switched to learning tabla from Pandit Kanthe Maharaj, noted tabla player of the Benares gharana, and uncle of Kishan Maharaj.

Career He started performing at the age of 21, when in 1937, he accompanied sarod maestro Allauddin Khan at the music concert in Allahabad. In the coming years, he accompanied leading musicians like, Pt. Ravi Shankar, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Ustad Vilayat Khan.

Besides his musical career, he also practiced Ayurvedic medicine at his clinic in Varanasi, and taught students. He died on 9 February 2004 in Varanasi, after a brief illness, at the age of 86. His son, Debabrata Bhattacharya, is a tabla player.