Anjan Chattopadhyay, the sitar player, born in a Bengali aristocratic family in Calcutta, India, was initiated to the art of sitar playing by his elder brother, a veteran Surbahar player, Pandit Gourisankar Chattopadhyay, a disciple of Pandit Birendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury. In addition to that he started taking further training from Vidushi Kalyani Roy, a reputed sitarist and one of the few disciples of Ustad Vilayat Khan. He also had lessons in vocal music from late Muktipada Datta, a representative of Agra Gharana. Anjan also learned tabla under the late Ustad Shaukat Ali Khan of Farukhabad gharana. Anjan lives in Calcutta.
Performance
Anjan has performed in hundreds of concerts in India and abroad. Among them worthy of mentions are some of his concerts in India:
* The Dover Lane Music Conference
* India International Center, New Delhi
* All India Music Festival
* Kal-Ke- Kalakar Music Conference, Mumbai
* Salt Lake Music Conference
* National Council of Performing Arts, Mumbai
* West Bangal Government State Music Academy
* Indian Council For Cultural Relations
* Alliance Francaise
* Ustad Bahadur Khan Music Conference
* Sabarmati Gandhi Ashram
* South Bengal Music Conference
* Ustad Keramatullah Khan Memorial Conference
* Bhartiya Sanskriti Parishad, Nagpur
* Jhankar Music Circle, Kolkata
* Swami Haridas Music Conference
* Shree Aurobindo Ashram. Calcutta
* Raipur Music festival, M.P.
* Ustad Amir Khan Music Conference. Calcutta
* Swar Sadhna Samiti. Mumbai
*
Sur Singar Samsad
Sur or SUR or El Sur (Spanish "the South") may refer to:
Geography
* Sur or Shur (Bible), the wilderness of Sur/Shur from the Book of Exodus
* Sur (river), a river of Bavaria, Germany
* Súr, a village in Hungary
* Sur, a district of the city of ...
Mumbai
* Kalabharati, Mumbai
* Pandit Montu Banerjee memorial music conference
* Sangeet Natak Academy, Lucknow
* Sankalp Music Festival. Sagar, M.P.
* Guru Poornima Festival, Patna
* Sangati Center
* Vistar Music Conference, Kolkata
* Camp Vatsayan, Benaras, etc. etc.
Awards, honors
In his musical career, Anjan has got numerous awards, and felicitations.
The chronology of awards are as follows:
# In 1986, he was awarded the first prize in All India Music Competition organized by the State Music Academy of West Bengal Government.
# In 1987, he was felicitated with the title ‘SURMANI’ after performing at Kal-Ke-Kalakar music festival in Mumbai.
# In 1988, he was awarded with the title ‘Sangeet Visharad’ by Pracheen Kalakendra, Chandigarh. In the same year he got ‘Sangeet Kriya Visharad’ title from Sourav Academy Board, Kolkata. On this occasion, the renowned violinist Padmabhushan Pandit
V. G. Jog
Vishnu Govind Jog, better known as V. G. Jog (22 February 1922 – 31 January 2004), was an Indian violinist. He was the foremost exponent of the violin in the Hindustani music tradition in the 20th century, and is credited for introducing ...
felicitated him after his concert.
# In 1990, during his tour to U.S.A, the Academy of Indian Music and Fine Arts and University of Maryland, Baltimore County felicitated him with the certificate of Achievement.
# In that year he got the opportunity to be honored with the GOVERNOR’S CITATION from the Honorable Governor of New Jersey – Mr
James Florio
James Joseph Florio (August 29, 1937 – September 25, 2022) was an American politician who served as the 49th governor of New Jersey from 1990 to 1994. He was previously the U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 1st congressional district from 19 ...
.
# In 1994, Padmabhushan Pandit
Jnan Prakash Ghosh
Pandit Jnan Prakash Ghosh (8 May 1909 – 18 February 1997) often known as 'Guru' Jnan Prakash Ghosh was an Indian harmonium and tabla player from Farukhabad gharana of Hindustani classical music and musicologist.
Early life and background
Bor ...
, one of the music legends of India, proclaimed Anjan as ‘one of the most talented young sitar players of India".
# Swar-Sadhna Samity of Mumbai and Rotary Club of Lake Green Kolkata, honored him on his enthralling performances.
# In 2004, Anjan received ‘GOVERNOR’S CITATION’ from Mr. Robert Ehrlich, the honourable Governor of the State of Maryland after performing his sitar recital in presence of the honourable Senator Mr Paul Sarbanes.
# In 2005, Anjan has been awarded with
Swami Haridas
Swami Haridas (1480—1573) was a spiritual poet and classical musician. Credited with a large body of devotional compositions, especially in the Dhrupad style, he is also the founder of the Haridasi school of mysticism, still found today ...
Samman award given by Surabithi College of Music, Calcutta.
# In 2006, Anjan has been honored with Ustad Vilayat Khan Music Award given by Geetichakra college, Chandannagar, West Bengal.
# In 2007 January Anjan has been selected for Michael Madhusudan Dutt award for his contribution to Indian Classical Music.
Discs
* Indian Classical Music Sitar :::: EBI India
* Moods :::: Octave Music India
* Sunset :::: Aim Records
* Monsoon Raga :::: Aim Records
* Raagmala :::: VMR, India
* Melodies for the Soul ::: AIMREC. USA
* Eastern Visions :::: AIMREC.COM, USA
* Bliss ::: Musicultimate India