Ganapati Bhat

Pandit Ganapati Bhat, popularly known as Ganapati Bhat Hasanagi, is an Indian Hindustani classical vocalist. He belongs to Kirana Gharana-Gwalior Gharana. He is a resident Guru at Dr. Gangubai Hangal Gurukul Trust in Hubli. He was born and brought up in Hasanagi, a small village in the state of Karnataka in India.

Career
Pandit Ganapati Bhat is a disciple of Basavaraj Rajguru the maestro from Dharwad whose gayaki (singing style) is based on the Kirana, the Gwalior and the Patiala gharanas. Bhat trained under Rajguru from 1966 to 1991. Bhat started his training in music as a sitarist, but was drawn to Hindustani vocal music. Later, he studied with C. R. Vyas, an exponent of the Gwalior Gharana. Pandit Ganapati Bhat has performed in all the major Hindustani classical forums in India and abroad. His concert tour of the US and Canada in 1999, 2003 and 2008 saw him perform in many cities such as Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York, San Francisco, and Washington.

Pandit Ganapati Bhat was recognised as a B-High grade artist of the All India Radio in 1979. Thereafter, he was recognised with the highest, A-Grade in 1988.

Pandit Ganapati Bhat was Member of Karnataka Sangeet Nritya Academy, Karnataka Government, from 1995-1998. He was recognised as a Research Supervisor in Music by the Kannada University, Hampi, in 2001. He was member of the HRD Music Expert Committee, Government of India, New Delhi from 2001-2003. He is also a member of the Akashvani Audition Committee, All India Radio, Dharwad and a member of the Examination Committee, Post Graduate Music Department, Karnataka University, Dharwad, 2007.

In 2011, he was selected to the position of the Guru, of the Dr.Gangubai Hangal National Gurukul, Hubli, along with noted Hindustani musicians, Pt. Maniprasad, Vid. N. Rajam, Vijaya Jadhav Gatlewar and Pt. Kaivalya Kumar Gurav.

Music Pedagogy
Since 1980, Pandit Ganapati Bhat has been imparting Hindustani music training in the traditional Gurukual method in his village Hasanagi in Uttar Kannada District, Karnataka[4]. He has trained more than 250 disciples including graded artists of the Dharwad All India Radio such as, Sripad Hegde Kampli, Shripati Hegde, Krishnamurthy Bhat, H.S.Sripad, Kirankumar Hanagal, Nagabhushan Hegde, Satish Bhat, Vinayak Hedge, Rekha Bhat, Rekha Dinesh, Suma Ravindra, Smita Hegde, Bakula Hegde,

Awards and Recognition
Karnataka Rajyotsava Award in 1993 by the Government of Karnataka
Karnataka Sangeeta Nritya Akademi Award in 2007, by the Karnataka Sangeeta Nritya Akademi, Government of Karnataka
Vatsalabai Bhimsen Joshi Award in 2006 by the Arya Prasarak Mandal Pune, headed by Pt. Bhimsen Joshi
Puttaraj Gawai award in 2015
Sawai Gandharva Puraskar in 2016
Nijaguna Purandara Award in 2017
In addition, Pandit Bhat has been conferred the titles Swaranidhi, Gaana Gangadhara, Sangeeta Bhushan, Sangeeta Kalaratna and Gaanavidya Vallabha.