Biography
Umakant and Ramakant Gundecha (24 November 1962 - 8 November 2019), known as the Gundecha Brothers, are Dagarvani dhrupad singers. Together they have been awarded Padma Shri for 2012 in the field of Art - Indian Classical Music - Vocal - Madhya Pradesh.
They studied at the local Madhav Music College. Umakant has a post-graduate degree in music and economics and Ramakant in music and commerce.
They moved to Bhopal in 1981, for training under Zia Fariddudin Dagar and his brother Zia Mohiuddin Dagar. These gurus were second cousins of the two major forces in the second half of the 20th Century, two duos known as the senior Dagar Brothers (Nasir Moinuddin & Nasir Aminuddin) and the junior Dagar Brothers (Nasir Zahiruddin & Nasir Faiyazuddin).
Ramakant Gundecha died in Bhopal on 8 November 2019 from a heart attack.
After training for four years, they performed in public for the first time in May 1985, at the Uttaradhikar dance and music festival in Bhopal. They have worked to expand the dhrupad repertoire by incorporating texts by Hindi poets such as Tulsidas, Padmakar and Nirala.
The Gundecha Brothers also sing the Dhrupad compositions of India's senior Kathak exponent Mahamahopadhyay Dr. Pandit Puru Dadheech, in particular, his famous Shankar Pralayankar composition.
They have set up a Dhrupad institute outside Bhopal where they teach students from all over the world. They run a music school in the Dhrupad tradition, according to the guru-shishya style of teaching that was prevalent in India for teaching of the arts.
Recordings and fellowships
They have recorded many cassettes and CDs by H.M.V, Music Today, Rhythm House, IPPNW Concerts Berlin, Navras and Audio Rec London. They have also sung for many television channels in India and have been broadcast on British, U.S., German and French Radio as well. As well as being an integral part of all of India's prestigious music festivals, the Brothers have also performed at many important international music festivals and institutions in Europe, U.S.A, Australia, Singapore, Bangladesh, U.A.E and Hong Kong.
They have received M.P. Govt. Scholarship from 1981 to 1985, National Fellowship from 1987 to 89, Ustad Allauddin Khan Fellowship in 1993, Sanskriti Award in 1994 and Kumar Gandharva Award in 1998 by Govt. of Madhaya Pradesh and Dagar Gharana Award by Mewar Foundation in 2001.
Awards
NATIONAL FELLOWSHIP 1987–89
USTAD ALLAUDDIN KHAN FELLOWSHIP 1993
SANSKRITI AWARD 1994
KUMAR GANDHARVA AWARD BY GOVERNMENT OF MADHYA PRADESH 1998
DAGAR GHARANA AWARD BY MEWAR FOUNDATION 2001
RAJAT KAMAL—NATIONAL FILM AWARD FOR BEST MUSIC DIRECTION 2006
PUTTARAJ GAWAI AWARD FROM PUTTARAJ GAWAI PRATISHTHAN, DHARWAD 2010
PADMA SHRI BY GOVERNMENT OF INDIA 2012
SPANDAN SAMMAAN 2016
SHRIMATI VATSALA JOSHI SAMMAN 2016
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD BY UNION BANK 2017
MADHYA PRADESH GAURAV SAMMAN 2017
SANGEET NATAK AKADEMI AWARD 2017
SWATI TIRUNAL SAMMAN 2018
Discography
Rhythm House(MCs):
Vol. 1, Raag- Bhimpalasi, Gurjari Todi, Malkauns
Vol. 2, Raag- Bihag, Madhumad Sarang, Sohni
Music Today (MCs and CDs)
Bhaktimala / Rama - Vol. 1
Bhaktimala/ Shiva - Vol. 1
Bhaktimala/ Hanumana - Vol. 2
Bhaktimala/ Ganesh - Vol. 1
Young Masters -Vol.1
Raga - Shyam Kalyan and Jaijaiwanti
HMV (MCs and CDs) Naad Sugandh
Vol. 1, Raga - Bhupali, Puriya Dhanashri, Shankara
Vol. 2, Raga- Jounpuri, Megh, Komal Rishabh Asawari
Raga – Bihag, Night Melody- Raga IPPNW – CONCERTS, Germany –1995
Raga- Darbari, Audio Rec - UK -1998
Navras- UK (CD) - Raag- Yaman and Charukeshi
Isha Music - Durga Kavach
Raga- Komal Rishabh Asawari – Dhrupad Vocal, Sundaram Records- 2003
DARSHAN
Raga - Komal Rishabh Asawari Sense world Music, UK - 2003
Raga- Bhairava – Dhrupad Vocal, Sundaram Records- 2003
Dhrupad- Live of 19th Tokyo Summer Festival
Arion Edo Foundation and Intoxicate Records
DVD – Raga- Miyan Malhar, Megh, Shivaranjani,
Malkouns, Adana
Manthan- Lecture Demonstration on Dhrupad
SPIC MACAY COMMUNICATIONS-2005
Raga- Miyan Malhar– Dhrupad Vocal
Raga Bageshri
Raga Bilaskhani Todi
Sundaram Records- 2004
Sacred Chants of Jainism: Bhaktamar Stotra - 2006
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