Pandit Devabrata (Debu) Chaudhuri (( bn, পণ্ডিত দেবব্রত চৌধুরী); 30 May 1935 – 1 May 2021) was an Indian
sitarist
The sitar ( or ; ) is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. The instrument was invented in medieval India, flourished in the 18th century, and arrived at its present form in ...
and teacher. He was conferred the
Padmabhushan and
Padma Shri
Padma Shri ( IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conf ...
awards. He was the writer of six books, composer of eight new
ragas and numerous musical compositions. From 1963 he has appeared in numerous radio broadcasts, and he was a disciple of
Mushtaq Ali Khan
Mushtaq Ali Khan (20 June 1911 in Banaras – 21 July 1989) and was an Indian classical sitar, surbahar (and pakhawaj) player.
Training and lineage
Khan learnt music from his father, Ashiq Ali Khan, who had learned sitar from the 19th cent ...
.
He is considered a leading
sitarist
The sitar ( or ; ) is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. The instrument was invented in medieval India, flourished in the 18th century, and arrived at its present form in ...
of Post War era.
He is regarded as one of the leading proponents of Senia Style (or Gharana).
He was the former Dean and Head, Faculty of Music,
University of Delhi
Delhi University (DU), formally the University of Delhi, is a collegiate university, collegiate Central university (India), central university located in New Delhi, India. It was founded in 1922 by an Act of the Central Legislative Assembly and ...
.
His music is noted for its sweet singing ringing tone.
He lived with his son, daughter-in law and niece at Chittaranjan Park, New Delhi.
Birth
Pt. Chaudhuri was born in 1935 in
Mymensingh
Mymensingh ( bn, ময়মনসিংহ) is the capital of Mymensingh Division, Bangladesh. Located on the bank of Brahmaputra River, about north of the national capital Dhaka, it is a major financial center and educational hub of north- ...
(now in
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
).
He started playing the
sitar
The sitar ( or ; ) is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. The instrument was invented in medieval India, flourished in the 18th century, and arrived at its present form ...
from four years of age. His first broadcast was at the age of eighteen at the
All India Radio
All or ALL may refer to:
Language
* All, an indefinite pronoun in English
* All, one of the English determiners
* Allar language (ISO 639-3 code)
* Allative case (abbreviated ALL)
Music
* All (band), an American punk rock band
* ''All'' (All ...
in 1953.
Death
Pt. Debu Chaudhuri died as a result of
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...
in
Delhi
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, on 1 May 2021. He was admitted with
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...
along with
dementia
Dementia is a disorder which manifests as a set of related symptoms, which usually surfaces when the brain is damaged by injury or disease. The symptoms involve progressive impairments in memory, thinking, and behavior, which negatively affe ...
complications. He suffered a
myocardial infarction (heart attack) around midnight and could not be revived. A few days after his death, his son
Prateek Chaudhuri, a renowned sitar player, also died due to
COVID-related complications.
Training
He received his education in the
University of Calcutta
The University of Calcutta (informally known as Calcutta University; CU) is a public collegiate state university in India, located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Considered one of best state research university all over India every year, ...
. He joined
Delhi University
Delhi University (DU), formally the University of Delhi, is a collegiate central university located in New Delhi, India. It was founded in 1922 by an Act of the Central Legislative Assembly and is recognized as an Institute of Eminence (IoE) ...
as a reader from 1971 to 1982 and was the Dean and Head of Music Department from 1985 to 1988. He has served as a visiting professor at Maharishi International University (now called
Maharishi University of Management
Maharishi International University (MIU), formerly Maharishi University of Management, is a private university in Fairfield, Iowa. It was founded in 1973 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and features a "consciousness-based education" system that includes ...
), Iowa from 1991 to 1994.
He received his training in sitar under late Panchu Gopal Datta and Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan.
Music
He started playing the sitar from four years of age. His first broadcast was at the age of eighteen at the All India Radio in 1953.
He created 8 new Ragas viz. Bisweswari, Palas-Sarang, Anuranjani, Ashiqui Lalit, Swanandeswari, Kalyani Bilawal, Shivamanjari and Prabhati Manjari (in memory of his wife Manju). He has authored three books on Indian Music namely ‘Sitar and It's Techniques’, ‘Music of India’ and ‘On Indian Music’. He has recorded 24 CDs for 24 hours of the day in the United States.
Style
He is considered a leading proponent of playing the repeated articulation of the
pedal tone
Pedal tones (or pedals) are special low notes in the harmonic series of brass instruments. A pedal tone has the pitch of its harmonic series' fundamental tone. Its name comes from the foot pedal keyboard pedals of a pipe organ, which are used ...
(also called the ‘’’Jod’’’) with the tonic pitch of the second string (also called the ‘’’Jodi’’’) string, by pulling the string across the fret that is allowed to die out before the basic alternation stroking is continued. He is considered one of the greatest sitar players of the era with
Ustad Vilayat Khan
Ustad Vilayat Khan (28 August 1928 – 13 March 2004) was an Indian classical sitar player.[Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar (; born Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury, sometimes spelled as Rabindra Shankar Chowdhury; 7 April 1920 – 11 December 2012) was an Indian sitarist and composer. A sitar virtuoso, he became the world's best-known export of North In ...]
and
Nikhil Banerjee
Pandit Nikhil Ranjan Banerjee (14 October 1931 – 27 January 1986) was an Indian classical sitarist of the Maihar Gharana. Along with Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Vilayat Khan, he emerged as one of the leading exponents of the sitar. He ...
.
He is also unique in using the 17 fret sitar while most musicians use the 19 fret sitar.
Contributions
UMAK
In April 2010 he started the UMAK (Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan) Center for culture in memory of his ‘’guru’’ Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chaudhuri, Debu
Sitar players
University of Calcutta alumni
1935 births
2021 deaths
Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
People from Mymensingh District
Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in arts
Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in India