விதுஷி சவிதா தேவி

Vidushi Savita Devi also known as Savita Maharaj hailed from a well known musical family of Banaras Gharana that has produced many exponents of classical and light classical music during the last couple of centuries. Daughter of the late Padmashri Smt. Siddheshwari Devi, has not only inherited a rich tradition of classical music but was a vocalist of rare artistry in her own right. It will not be an exaggeration to say that she had her first lessons in the womb of her famous mother who was regarded as the reigning Queen of Thumri. Born in the holy city of Varanasi (Benaras), Vidushi Savita Devi also known as Savita Maharaj, in her childhood not only studied music but also breathed music. From an early age, she underwent a long period of comprehensive training under her mother and specialised in Thumri, Dadra, Chaiti, Kajri and Tappa of the Banaras Gharana (Purabang), a style made famous by her illustrious mother. She was a very proficient Khayal singer and had adopted the style of the Kirana Gharana from her Guru's Pandit Mani Prasad and Pandit Dalip Chandra Vedi. Although Savita Devi had a rich and varied fare of music to offer her audiences, she was a purist. Her Thumri did not overflow into her Khayal or vice versa. Likewise, her Hori, Kajri, Dadra, Tappa, Chaiti etc., were always separate and pure in content.

After graduation in arts, Vidushi Savita Devi studied classical music at the Banaras Hindu University and received a postgraduate degree. She later received the Sangeet Alankar from Pune. Carrying forward the legacy of music, Savita Devi was doing extensive research in the Thumri style of singing, the object of which was to develop new and more pleasing ways of presenting the old compositions. She was the founder of the Smt. " Siddheshwari Devi Academy of Indian Music", which is carrying forward the 'Purabang' Thumri tradition. With the help of the Academy, she aimed to preserve and strengthen the vast repertoire of music left behind by her legendary mother. In this exercise, she also tried to fulfil her mother's dream of re-establishing the "Guru Shishya Parampara" and creating an atmosphere of national and international integration. Besides being the Managing Director of the Academy, she was also the Head of Department, Music in Daulat Ram College, University of Delhi.

Vidushi Savita Devi was also an accomplished Sitarist. She had won the Government of India scholarship, which offered her the opportunity to specialise at 'Kinnara', an institution run by Late Bharat Ratna Pandit Ravi Shankar. Even as a teenager, Vidushi Savita Devi won acclaim as a Sitarist and bagged the coveted Gold Medal at an Inter University Youth Festival.

Apart from being a wonderful singer she has also written and composed numerous Thumris, Dadras, Chaitis etc. She has also written a book the biography of her mother Maa Siddheshwari.

Vidushi Savita Devi was a member of Jury of ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations) as well as Jury of Audition Board, AIR (All India Radio).

Vidushi Savita Devi breathed her last at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, on 20th December 2019. She was 80.

On her Death Anniversary, Hindustani Classical Music And Everything pays rich tributes to the legend for her services to the Hindustani Classical Music. 💐🙏

• Biography Source : http://savitadevi.com/about.html