Brijmohan Mishra & Bhimsen Joshi

Brijmohan Mishra

Born:4 February 1938

He popularly known as Pandit Birju Maharaj, is an exponent of the Handia (Rikhipur), AllahabadKalka-Bindadingharana of Kathak dance in India.

He is a descendant of the Maharaj family of Kathak dancers, which includes his two uncles, Shambhu Maharaj and Lachhu Maharaj, and his father and guru, Acchan Maharaj.

Even though dancing is his first love, he practices Hindustani classical music and is a vocalist.

After working along with his uncle, Shambhu Maharaj at Bhartiya Kala Kendra, later the Kathak Kendra, New Delhi, he remained head of the latter, for several years, till his retirement in 1998 when he opened his own dance school, Kalashram, also in Delhi.

He has won many accolades, including Padma Vibhushan in 1986, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the Kalidas Samman.

He also received honorary Doctorate degrees from Banaras Hindu University(Varanasi) and Khairagarh University.

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Bhimsen Joshi

Born: 4 February 1922

Died: 24 January 2011

He was a legendary Indian vocalist from Karnataka in the Hindustani classical tradition. 

He is known for the khayal form of singing, as well as for his popular renditions of devotional music (bhajans and abhangs).

In 1998, he was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, the highest honour conferred by Sangeet Natak Akademi, India’s National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama.

Subsequently, he received the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, in 2009.

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