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Prabha Atre | |
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| Born | (1932-09-13)13 September 1932 |
| Died | 13 January 2024(2024-01-13) (aged 91) Pune, Maharashtra, India |
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| Awards | Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1991) |
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| Website | www |
Prabha Atre (13 September 1932 – 13 January 2024) was anIndian classical vocalist from theKirana gharana. She was awarded all three of thePadma Awards by theGovernment of India.[1] She died in Pune from cardiac arrest on 13 January 2024, at the age of 91 .[2][3][4][5][6]
Atre was born to Abasaheb and Indirabai Atre inPune. As children, Atre and her sister, Usha, were interested in music, but neither of them planned to pursue music as a career. When Atre was eight, Indirabai was not keeping good health, and at a friend's suggestion that classical music lessons would help her feel better, she took a few lessons. Listening to those lessons inspired Atre to learn classical music.
Her music training was in theGuru-shishya tradition. She learnt classical music fromSureshbabu Mane andHirabai Badodekar from theKirana gharana.[7] She acknowledged the influence of two other greats,Amir Khan forkhyal andBade Ghulam Ali Khan forthumri, on her gayaki. She also had formal training inKathak dance style for a short period.
While studying music, Atre earned a Bachelor of Science fromFergusson College in Pune. Later she completed anLL.B. fromUniversity of Pune Law College. She also studied at Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal (Sangeet Alankar (Master of Music)),Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance,London (Western Music Theory Grade-IV). She later also earned a PhD in music. Her doctoral thesis was titledSargam, and pertained to the use ofsol-fa notes (sargam) inIndian classical music.[7]
Atre had a short stint as a singing stage-actress in the early days of her career.[8] She also played roles in a line-up of Marathi theatre classics, which includedSangeet Nataks like Sanshay-Kallol, Maanaapamaan, Saubhadra and Vidyaharan. She acted wonderfully along with stage artists Ganpatrao Bodas, Chhota Gandharva, Ram Marathe, PL Deshpande, Prasad Savkar, Bhalchandra Pendharkar and created great impact with her effective singing style.
Atre was one of the senior vocalists in the country representing theKirana Gharana. Her firstLP, with Maru Bihag, Kalavati and Khamaj Thumari clearly demonstrates her extraordinary artistry and creativity.This is probably maximum sold out record of Indian classical music. She contributed to popularizing Indian classical vocal music at global level. She had exceptional command over various musical genres such asKhyal,Thumri,Dadra,Ghazal, geet, Natyasangeet, and bhajans.
Atre taught music, performing lecture-demonstrations, and writing on the topic of Indian classical music.
Books of music compositions: 1. Swaranjanee2. Swaranginee3. Swararangee
Books containing her musical thoughts: 1. Swaramayee (Marathi and Hindi)2. Suswaralee (Marathi and Hindi)3. Along the path of Music4. Enlightening the listener
Book of poetry: Antah Swar (Marathi Hindi and English)
Atre gave private lessons to students beginning in 1969.[10] Dr. Prabha Atre mentored numerous students through her skilled and dedicated teaching methods, many of whom later became well-known musicians in their own right. She was associated with SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai, where she served as a department head. From 1960 onwards, she toured extensively abroad to perform, teach, and propagate Indian classical music. She also established the Swaramayee Gurukul in Pune to train students in the traditional Guru–Shishya Parampara. Her noted disciples include Alka Joglekar, Vijaya Patki, Asha Parasnis, Padmini Rao, Chetna Banawat, Atindra Sarvadikar, Arati Thakur, Ashvini Modak, and Fumie Nigeshi, among others. As a tribute to Dr. Prabha Atre ji, four of her leading disciples—Arati Thakur, Atindra Sarvadikar, Chetna Banawat, and Ashvini Modak—presented a spellbinding concluding performance at the prestigious Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Sangeet Samaroh, Pune, in 2024.
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