पंडित पंढरीनाथ नागेश्कर

Pt. Pandharinath Ganadhar Nageshkar was born on 16th March 1913, at Nagoshi (Goa). He had a great interest in Tabla since his childhood. He took his initial training at home, under his maternal uncle, Shri Ganpatrao Nageshkar. Subsequently, he trained under Shri Vallemama (Shri Yashwantrao Vitthal Bandivdekar), Ustad Anwar Hussain Khan (Ustad Amir Hussain Khan’s disciple), Shri Jatin Baksh (Roshanara Begum’s Tabla player) and Shri Subrao Mama Ankolikar. He gained some new insights on the instrument from Shri Khaprumama Parvatkar. After that for fifteen years, he took his lessons from Ustad Amir Hussain Khan Saheb (Ustad Munir Khan’s nephew). Ustad Ahmedjan Thirakwa Saheb personally gave him some valuable tips.
Panditji has composed new ideas on rhythms and made some innovative compositions. Pt. Nageshkar has accompanied renowned artistes, such as Surashree Kesarbai Kerkar, Vidushi Hirabai Badodekar, Vidushi Mogubai Kurdikar, Pt. Firoz Dasturji, Vidushi Jyotsnabai Bhole, Smt. Bai Narvekar, Smt. Shalinitai Narvekar, Vidushi Saraswati Bai Rane, Smt. Anjanibai Lolekar, Smt. Anjanibai Kalgutkar (disciple of Master Krishnarao), Smt. Gokulibai Kakodkar (disciple of Govindbua Shaligram), Menakabai Shirodkar, Vidushi Shobha Gurtu, Govindram Shaligram, Vidushi Padmavati Shaligram, Ustad Amanat Ali Khan, Ustad Amir Khan, Pt. Mallikarjun Mansoor, Ustad Manji Khan , Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, Ustad Khadim Hussain Khan, Ustad Nanhe Khan, Ustad Mohammed Khan, Pt. V. G. Jog, Pt. C. R. Vyas, Pt. K. G. Ginde, Pt. S. C. R. Bhat, Pt. Dinkar Kaikini, Pt. Narayan Rao Vyas, Krishnarao Chonkar and Master Krishna Rao Phulambrikar (Bhaskar Buva’s disciple).

Pt. Nageshkar has received a number of felicitations, including those from Professor B R Deodhar (1973), President Zail Singh (1986), who awarded him a merit certificate at Goa, Ustad Alla Rakha Khan at Dadar Matunga cultural center in 1989, Shri Waman Deshpande and Pune Artistes at Tilak Smarak Mandir Pune, in 1989 and from Teachers’ Group headed by Pt. K G Ginde. He was awarded the First Gomantak Maratha Academy Award in 1991, which awarded him a life membership. In 1994, he received the ‘Swarsadhana Puraskar’ from Swarsadhana Samiti and received a memento and Award from “Sangeet Research Academy” by Pt. Arvind Parikh.

Pt. Nageshkar was given the Sangeet Kala Academy Award at Delhi by President K.R. Narayanan, in 1999. He received the “Gomantak Maratha Academy Puraskar” from the Governor of Goa Mr. Mohd. Fazal, in April 2000. He was awarded the (Lata Mangeshkar Puraskar and certificate).

Special Articles have been written on him, by Shri Prabhakar Jathar, Shrirang Sangram, Srikrishan Dalvi, Datta Marulkar, Shri Nene, Dr. Trilok, Telang Mohan Kanhere and Smt. Radhika Godbole. Pt. Nageshkar started Tabla classes even while he was studying and has been giving tuitions to needy people since 1935.

Panditji’s senior disciples include Vasantrao Achrekar, Nana Muley, Manhar Deshpande,Rambhau Bashat, Nandkumar Parvatkar, Pt. Vibhav Nageshkar, Pt. Suresh Talwalkar, Sridhar Barve Mukund Kane, Rajendra Antarkar, Ravi Gandhi, Sai Banker, Ramnath Kolwalkar and Raghuveer Thatte.

On his Death Anniversary, Hindustani Classical Music And Everything pays rich tributes to the Legend for his services to the Hindustani Classical Music.