Pandit Manilal Nag (born 16 August 1939) is an

Indian classical Indian classical music is the classical music of the Indian subcontinent. It has two major traditions: the North Indian classical music known as '' Hindustani'' and the South Indian expression known as '' Carnatic''. These traditions were no ...

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 ...

player and an exponent of the Bishnupur gharana of Bengal. He was given the

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 ...

Award, the fourth highest civilian award in India in 2020.

Training and career

Nag was born in

Bankura Bankura () is a city and a municipality in the state of West Bengal, India. It is the headquarters of the Bankura district. Etymology In the Mahabharata, Bankura was described as Suhmobhumi. The word or (in Nagari: rāḍh) was introduced af ...

, and learned to play sitar from his father, Gokul Nag. He made his first public appearance in the All India Music Conference of 1953, accompanied by

Samta Prasad Samta Prasad (Hindi : पण्डित सामता प्रसाद; 20 July 1921 – 31 May 1994) was an Indian classical musician and tabla player from the Benares gharana. He played tabla in many Hindi films including, ''Meri Surat ...

tabla A tabla, bn, তবলা, prs, طبلا, gu, તબલા, hi, तबला, kn, ತಬಲಾ, ml, തബല, mr, तबला, ne, तबला, or, ତବଲା, ps, طبله, pa, ਤਬਲਾ, ta, தபலா, te, తబల� ...

. He has performed many times in the National Programme of Music and Akashvani Sangeet Sammelan since 1954. He was invited to the United States and European Countries through the I.C.C.R (Government of India) in 1973. In 1979 he was also invited to Australia by the Government Of India as a delegate for participation in the Indian Ocean Art Festival, to mark the 150th Anniversary of the Government of Australia. Nag was attached to the Instrumental Music Division of the

ITC Sangeet Research Academy ITC Sangeet Research Academy is a Hindustani classical music academy run by the corporate house, ITC Ltd. It is located in Kolkata, India. Noted musicians associated with the academy include Ulhas Kashalkar, Falguni Mitra, Ajoy Chakrabarty, U ...

from 2005 to 2011. Manilal Nag's children and students include sixth-generation sitarist , who is also associated with the Bishnupur Gharana.

Awards

He received the ''Sangeet Natak Akademy Award'' in 2001 and also the Senior Fellowship Award from India's Ministry of Culture in 2005 and an Honorary Gold Medal from the

Asiatic Society The Asiatic Society is a government of India organisation founded during the Company rule in India to enhance and further the cause of "Oriental research", in this case, research into India and the surrounding regions. It was founded by the p ...

, Kolkata, in 2008. The Government of West Bengal awarded him the ''Allauddin Puraskar'' in 2012 and the ''Banga Bibhushan'' in 2015, as well as the Sangeet Mahasamman Award. He has also received the ITC Sangeet Samman, Doverlane Sangeet Samman, Koser Award from Pracheen Kala Kendra, Chandigarh, Sangeet Ratna Award from Mumbai, and Vitasta Award from New Delhi. He was awarded the

Award, the fourth highest civilian award in 2020.

Discography

* Ragas Jog, Bhairavi (Ray Spiegel, tabla): Raga Records 215 * Raga Lalit (Anand Gopal Bandopadhyay, tabla): Raga Records 213. * Classical Music of North India - Raga Suha Kanada (Mahapurush Misra, tabla): Koch World Music Library KICC 5111; King Records (Japan) K30Y 5101. * Classical Music of North India - Ragas Puriya Dhanashri, Rageshri (Mahapurush Misra, tabla): Koch World Music Library KICC 5112; King Records K30Y 5119. * Ragas Darbari Kanada, Mishra Kafi (Sankha Chatterjee, tabla): Dunya Records fy 8025 (Italy) * Jugalbandi, a shenai and sitar duet. Ali Ahmad Hussein Khan shenai, Subhen Chatterjee tabla. Raga Desh: Rhyme Records RCD 9805 * Sitar & Sehnai - Manilal Nag & Ali Ahmed Hussain shenai, Subhen Chatterjee tabla. Marwa, Abhogi, Anand Kalyan, Purvi dhun Biswas BIS 115 * Harmony Of Strings V G Jog violin, Anand Gopal Bhandopadhyay tabla: Raga Shyam Kalyan, Raga Basant, Raga Bihari. Vista India VIST 114770 * Raga Charukeshi ( Hom Nath Upadhyaya, tabla): Ravi Shankar Music Circle RSMC-18. * Ragas Jogkauns, Saraswati (Sabir Khan, tabla): Gramophone Co. of India STCS 02B 6189. * The Japan Concerts, 1985 - Ragas Puriya Kalyan, Misra Piloo, Khamaj (Mahapurush Misra, tabla): Raga Records 103 * Ragas Of Dawn, 2020 (Samar Saha, Tabla) - Raga Bilashkani Todi, Raga Bhairavi: Aimrec (Baltimore MD, USA)

References

External links

*http://www.kolkatatoday.com/wb-cm-confers-banga-bibhusan-and-banga-bhusan-to-bengal-greats/ *http://www.itcsra.org/aom/artist_ofthe_month.asp?id=132 {{DEFAULTSORT:Nag, Manilal Sitar players 1939 births Living people People from Bankura Indian classical musicians of Bengal Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts Musicians from West Bengal Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award