|
 A
prodigious
Hindustani vocalist
and an MBA graduate
from a prestigious
Indian university,
Kalpana Sumanth
Umashankar was born
to Sri Umashankar
and Smt Suneetha
from the
philanthropic
“Rajanahally family”
of the well-known
industrial centre
Davangere in North
Karnataka.
Kalpana started
learning Hindustani
vocal at the tender
age of five years
under Guru Pundit
Sri Maruthi Rao
Inamdar, a maestro
from the Gwalior
Gharana. Even as a
toddler, she could
recognize the
intricacies of sur
and taal and would
correct her parents
during their Riyaz.
Her father
recognized her
potential and put
her to rigorous
music training at a
tender age to ensure
a strong foundation
in the Khayal music.
Currently, Kalpana
is being trained
under an eminent
vocalist of the
country Smt Veena
Sahasrabuddhe of the
Gwalior Gharana.
She sang for Swami
Chinmayanandaji at
the age of ten years
at Bangalore, during
March 1992. Swamiji
recognized her
potential and
blessed her.
Kalpana’s
inaugural formal
concert was at
Davanagere in the
presence of Padma
Vibhushan Dr.
Gangubai Hanagal,
when she was 12
years. Smt.
Gangubhai Hanagal
aptly remarked,
“Kalpana is blessed
by Goddess
Saraswathi by Birth;
What she is, is from
her past life.”
Since then, Kalpana
has performed at
several prestigious
platforms all over
the world and has
also released music
albums such as
“Bhajore Bhaiyya”
a compilation on
semi-classical
bhajans for Chinmaya
Mission. For her
achievements and
talent, Kalpana has
been honored and
felicitated at
various fora and has
won state and
national-level award
at the National
youth festival held
at Gandhinagar,
Gujrat in the year
1999 – 2000.
Kalpana has been
blessed by several
stalwarts of
Hindustani music
like Parveen
Sultana, Shahid
Parvez, Vasant
Kankapur and has won
numerous encomiums
from eminent music
critics and
reviewers for her
concert performances
over the years. A
representative
sample is produced
below:
“Gifted with a
natural sense of
rhythm and melodious
tonal quality,
Kalpana captured the
hearts of listeners
by her
professionalism and
sense of precision
in laya. She, at
times, matched a
great like Parveen
Sultana.”
“Kalpana’s
performance proved
that she has a
bright future in the
coming decade by
which she will
definitely establish
herself as a
professional
Hindustani
vocalist.”
She has performed at
prestigious
platforms such as
Sawai Gandharva
Sangeeth Sammelan (Kundagol),
Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan (Chennai),
Karthik fine arts,
Pallavotsav,
Dusshera festival
and Sathya Sai
Baba’s 80th birthday
celebrations to name
a few.
What does music mean
to Kalpana? Says
she, “To me, music
is an expression of
the inner self which
enables me to
connect with the
supreme. Music is
also a powerful
cultural and social
bridge – connecting
people in a strong,
unspoken bond that
transcends all
boundaries. Early in
my career, I
realized that music
has a divine healing
power that touches
both the artist and
the audience by
bonding them
emotionally and
spiritually. My
motivation would be
to use this
God-given gift for
the benefit of
mankind through
soulful music.”
Talking about her
future plans,
Kalpana says “My
ultimate goal in
life would be to use
this art form to
provide succor to
troubled minds by
enabling them to
find much-needed
peace through
music.”
You can get in touch
with Kalpana Sumanth
Umashankar by,
email:
kals2382@gmail.com
contact number:
98459 46639
|
Featured Artists Archive
