First, is a chart showing some of the guru-shishya lineages within the gharana; next are biographies and photos of some famous Benares gharana tabla players.
The Benares tabla gharana was developed a little over 200 years ago by the legendary Pandit Ram Sahai (1780-1826). Ram Sahai began studying the tabla with his father from the age of five. At the age of nine, he moved to Lucknow to become the disciple of Modhu Khan of the Lucknow gharana. When Ram Sahai was seventeen years old, Wazir Ali Khan, the new Nawab, asked Modhu Khan if Ram Sahai could perform a recital for him. Modhu Khan agreed, on the condition that Ram Sahai would not be interrupted until he finished playing. It is said that Ram Sahai played for seven consecutive nights. After this incredible performance, Ram Sahai was praised by all the members of the community and was showered with gifts. Shortly after this performance, Ram Sahai returned to Benares.
The Benares baj makes use of over twenty different compositional types, and has an enormously varied repertoire of each type.


Photo credits: Shawn Mativetsky
Other contemporary disciples of Sharda Sahai:
Sources: www.vickirichards.net, www.sahai.org
Pandit Ram Shankar Sahai (1938-1970)
Son of Bhagvati Sahai
Deepak Sahai (1965 - )
Son of Vidhya Sahai (sarangi player, son of Bhagvati Sahai), disciple of Sharda Sahai
Deepak Sahai hails from one of the oldest and most respected music lineages in India. He is the direct descendent of the famed Pandit Ram Sahai and represents the sixth generation of the Benares Gharana of tabla playing. His Guruji and uncle was the legendary Pandit Sharda Sahai.
He gave his debut concert in Calcutta, at the age of 16. Since then he has performed widely across India performing with many of the great artists including Padmashree Uma Sharma of Delhi, Padmabushan Sitara Devi (kathak) and Pashupatinath Mishra (vocal). He is member of the acclaimed tabla trio, Benares Dhamaka, which Pandit Sharda Sahai established with three of his leading disciples in India.
Deepak’s playing is highly respected for his beautiful tonal control, strength of sound and musicality; this coupled with his in depth knowledge of solo and accompaniment traditions makes for a truly formidable artist.
Source - PRSSV
Sanju (Vishnu) Sahai (1968 - )
Son of Sharda Sahai
Sanju Sahai is one of the most sought after tabla players of his generation. He is a direct descendent of Pandit Ram Sahai, the founder of the Benares style of table playing. He has accompanied some of India’s legendary musicians. Apart from playing in classical tradition he has gone to work with the genres as diverse as Egyptian, Spanish, African, jazz and Irish music as well as composing various pieces for ensembles. He has toured worldwide and has made various recordings. His solo tabla CD is entitled The Benares Touch.
Source – www.chakardar.com
Pandit Kishor Kumar Mishra (1954 - )
Disciple of Sharda Sahai
Kishor Kumar Mishra was born in Varanasi in 1954, in a traditional family of musicians. At the age of ten, he began his tabla studies with his father, Pt. Bhagwan Das Mishra, who was a respected sarangi and tabla player, himself a disciple of the renowned Pt. Anokhelal Mishra. He later became a disciple of Pt. Sharda Sahai. (Kishor Kumar Mishra is also the son-in-law of Pt. Samta Prasad.)
He has been an All India Radio and Door Darshan A grade artist since 1993. His devotion and honesty as an artist have resulted in him being a highly respected tabla player, having been invited to perform in music festivals across India and internationally. He has accompanied many renowned artists, such as Smt. Girija Devi, Pt. Chhannu Lal Mishra, Pt. Rajan Sajan Mishra, Pt. Mahadev Prasad Mishra, Pt. Amarnath Mishra, Smt. Purnima Chaudhury, Dr. N Rajam, Ronu Majumdar, Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Pt. Birju Maharaj, Smt. Sitara Devi, Natraj Mohan Krishna, amongst numerous others.
Pt. Kishor Kumar Mishra currently lives in Varanasi, where he is employed at the Faculty of Performing Arts of Banaras Hindu Univeristy (BHU). He has many disciples around the world, and is involved actively in spreading the traditions of the Benares gharana.
Source - Amit Mishra
Pandit Shyam Kumar Mishra
Disciple of Sharda Sahai
Born in Benares, Shyam Kumar Mishra belongs to a family of great musicians and kathak dancers. He took up his tabla-studies with Pt. Sharda Sahai at the age of six. Since his youth, he has regularly given concerts, galas and workshops for delighted audiences in India and Europe. He was the first percussionist working for All India Radio and at the College of Music at Benares Hindu University. In 1972 a concert was aired, lasting twelve and a half hours without interruption; he was awarded a gold medal for this achievement. In 1989 he was honoured as the best Benares-style tabla-player. He has numerous disciples in both Benares and in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Source - Polyglobe
Pandit Kanthe Maharaj (1880-1969)
Disciple of Baldeo Sahai
Born in 1880 in Kabir Chaura, Benares, Kanthe Maharaj. He was the son of tabla player Pandit Daleep Mishra, and disciple of Baldeo Sahai. He had an illustrious career accompanying all the renowned singers, instrumentalists and dancers of the day. He was famous for his meticulous practice, revelling in the beauty of each individual sound.
Disciples: Kishan Maharaj, Ashu Babu, Biswanath Bose
Photo source – Pandit Sharda Sahai: Compositions of Benares (CD)
Pandit Kaviraj Ashutosh Bhattacharya (Ashu Babu) (1917-2004)
Disciple of Kanthe Maharaj
Famous as both an extraordinary tabla player and teacher and reputed Ayurvedic doctor, Asu Babu was born in the holy city of Varanasi (then known by its British name of Benares), the son and grandson of famous Bengali Ayurvedic doctors. As a boy he expressed an interest in learning drums and started learning pakhawaj at the age of 8 from Pandit Ram Nath Mishra. A few years later he saw a performance of Pandit Kanthe Maharaj, one of the great tabla players of the Benares Gharana and decided he wanted to learn tabla from him.
As a young man he was already a rising star, playing his first conference, in Allahabad, at the age of 21 with the legendary Ustad Allauddin Khan. Shortly thereafter he was to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather in studying Ayurvedic medicine in Delhi. At the same time as taking lectures, studying and gaining practical experience in his medicine guru’s clinic, he was maintaining his tabla practice, giving lessons on Sundays and performing concerts and radio recitals with the likes of Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Ustad Vilayat Khan.
After completing his degree and returning to Varanasi, he set up his medical practice and continued to give tabla performances, learn from his guru-ji and practise around 6 hours a day, receiving many awards for his musicianship. During this period he played with most of the “greats” of 20th century Indian classical music, including Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan, Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan, Pandit D.V. Paluskar, Pandit Nikhil Banerjee, etc etc. In 1952 he performed in “that concert” – Ustad Allauddin Khan, his son Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Pandit Nikhil Banerjee accompanied on tabla by Ustad Kanthe Maharaj and his senior disciple, Asu Babu, gave a 3 1/2 hour performance together in the early morning during an All-India Music Conference in Calcutta. Despite such incredible achievements, he always thought of medicine as his profession and music as his hobby, so he never took money for concerts except for expenses like travel, food and lodging.
Among his favourite expressions were “Ek sade, sab saden; sab sade, sab jayen” (“Know one, know all; try all, all will be nothing”) and “Everything depends on practice!”
Disciples: Debabrata Bhattacharya (1955- ), Tapan Bhattacharya, Shen Flindell (1972- )
Source: Shen Flindell
Pandit Kishan Maharaj (1923-2008)
Nephew and disciple of Kanthe Maharaj
Pandit Kishan Maharaj is considered to be one of the finest Tabla players of our time. Kishan Ji was born in the year 1923, on the auspicious day of Sri Krishna Janamashthami, to a family that boasted of many professional musicians. Kishan Ji was initially trained in classical music by Pandit Hari Maharaj, his father for many years. After his fathers untimely death, his training was taken over by his uncle, Pt. Kanthe Maharaj one of the great old masters and himself a disciple of Pt. Baldeo Sahai. Kishan Ji proved himself as a great tabla player while under Pandit Kanthe Maharaj, and by the time he was eleven, he started performing in several concerts. Within a few years, Kishan Ji was sharing the same stage with stalwarts like Ustad Faiyaz Khan, Pandit Omkarnath Thakur, Ustad Bade Gulam Ali Khan, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Pandit Ravi Shankar, and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan besides many others.
Pandit Kishan Maharaj has the ability to play cross-rhythmsand produce complex calculations, particularly in tihai patterns, hence making him one of the most popular and respected Tabla players of our time. Known for being an excellent accompanist, Pandit Kishan Maharaj is extremely versatile and is capable of playing with any accompaniment, be it with the Sitar, Sarod, Dhrupad, Dhamar or even dance! Pandit Kishan has given a number of solo concerts during his career and besides accompanying legendary musicians, he has also given `Sangat` to some great dancers like Sri Shambhu Maharaj, Sitara Devi, Natraj Gopi Krishna and Pandit Birju Maharaj. Among all his compositions, his `Tala Vadya Kacheri` with the Mridangam Vidwan, `Palghat Raghu` is incomparable. Pandit Kishan Ji has extensively toured abroad and has participated in several prestigious events including the Edinburgh festival and Commonwealth Arts festival in U.K. in 1965.
Pandit Kishan Maharaj’s disciples include some of the top Tabla players of today, including Pt. Kumar Bose, Pt. Balkrishna Iyer, Sandeep Das, Sukhwinder Singh Namdhari and many more. Pandit Kishan Maharaj is, today, a world-famous personality and is constantly invited to play in music festivals held in different parts of the world. He has recieved a number of awards and honours including the `Padamshree` in 1973, `The Kendriya Sangeet Natak Award` in 1984 and `The Hafiz Ali Khan Award` in 1986 besides many others.
Disciples: Pooran Maharaj, Sukhvinder Singh (Pinky), Sandeep Das, Vineet Vyas, Kumar Bose, Shubh Maharaj
Source – www.chakardar.com
Pandit Biswanath Bose (1928-1980)
Disciple of Kanthe Maharaj
Pandit Biswanath Bose was born on 19th of May, 1928 at Calcutta. His grandfather, Akshay Kumar Bose, ‘Zaminder’ of Pankabil, Jessore, an amateur tabla player, taught him to play the first beats of Rhythm. He was fortunate enough to have the guidance of Pandit Ananta Narayan Chattopadhyay of Lukhnow. Later he became a disciple of Pandit Kanthe Maharaj of Benaras Gharana. He was fortunate enough to accompany almost all the mæstros of Indian Classical Music.
Not only was he devoted towards teaching, but also formed an organisation in 1950, named “Akshay Sangeet Tirtha” in remembrance of the name of his grandfather. He had been promoting the young talents throughout his lifetime through this organisation.
Lifelong inspiration from his wife, Mrs. Bharati Bose, a great sitarist helped him to nourish and groom their three sons Kumar Bose, Jayanta Bose and Debojyoti Bose, who are at present artists of international fame. And, the circuit is, perhaps complete with his eldest daughter-in-law and wife of Kumar Bose, Smt. Kaberi Bose, who has already established her credentials as a vocalist of light classical variety, Bengali Tappa and Nazrulgeeti. After a colourful career he passed away in the year 1980 only at a prime age of 52.
Source – Kumar Bose Homepage
Pandit Kumar Bose (1953 - )
Son of Biswanath Bose and disciple of Kishan Maharaj
Pandit Kumar Bose – a personality of international repute precisely one of the few toppers in the world of Tabla was born in a God-gifted musical family of Calcutta (West Bengal). While his father Pandit Biswanath Bose was a distinguished tabla “Nawaz” of Benaras Gharana that he mastered under the stewardship of its legendary exponent Pandit Kanthe Maharaj, his mother Srimati Bharati Bose is the disciple of great Ustad Dabir Khan (Bincar) & Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.
Pandit Kumar Bose was initiated in tabla by his father. After his father’s untimely demise, he came under the tutelage of Pandit Kishen Maharaj, the living legend of Benaras Gharana.
The superiority of Pandit Bose’s genius is his ability to evolve a distinctive style of his own without diluting the purity of tradition in which psyche the audience becomes captive. This is most evident in his negotiations with the “Bnaya” (Bass Drum). His performance, as it is told is as pleasing as a ‘raga’ or melodious song. He is as much facile in accompaniment with music (vocal & instrumental) & dances as in Solos. Which is why he is sought after, both at home and abroad, by the entire community of Top Grade celebrity artists.
This successful and keen Tabla Mæstro has the rare distinction of highly appreciated performance with Zubin Mehta’s Philharmonic orchestra besides several symphony orchestras conducted by Pt. Ravi Shankar, Yehudi Menhuin, Arnovich in England, Italy, China etc. Dynamically he performs in different kinds of Music of the world like Jazz, Pop, Rock etc. His duet with Prof. Semurani (Thumba player) of Iran was a big hit in the International Seminar, 1974 at Holland. It’s also remarkable that inspite of a part of an orchestra he got a lot of unbounded fountain-love from the distinguished audience like India Festival Moscow (1988) and many others.
The respected Drum-specialist can drum Sri-khole, Pakhwaj, Dholak, Nal, Banga-Kanga etc. He was the Asstt. Music Director of Mrinal Sen’s globally acclaimed film “GENESIS” with the music director Pt. Ravi Shankar.
His two brothers – Jayanta Bose a reputed lyrist, composer, harmonium soloist and singer, and Debojyoti Bose, a noted sarodia & music director, both are carrying the musical heritage neatly.
Source – Kumar Bose Homepage
Sukhvinder Singh (Pinky) (1965 - )
Disciple of Kishan Maharaj
Born September 1965 in the District of Ludihana, Punjab. Sukhvinder devoted himself to the study of rhythm.
He started his training at the age of 5 under the Pakawaj Samrat Ustad Nihal Singh of the Punjab Gharana learning the pakawaj. Being a child prodigy he gave his first solo performance at Birla Mateshwari Hall, Mumbai in 1978.
After receiving a sound foundation in Pakawaj, Sukhvinder had a desire to learn tabla from none other than the world renowned Tabla Samrat Pandit Kishan Maharaj of Varanasi (Benaras Gharana), a living legend in tabla playing. This intense urge of learning made him leave his home, family and childhood behind in late 1978 and proceed to Varanasi and dedicate his next eighteen years in the pursuit of tabla.
Pt. Kishan Maharaj saw the potential and dedication in the young Sukhvinder and gave him meticulous attention and tutelage. Pt. Kishan Maharaj takes pride in mentioning “Sukhvinder” as one of his best disciples who is carrying out the tradition of his “Banaras Baaj” (Banaras style of Tabla playing).
Sukhvinder has become a phenomenal tabla performer and is well known for his keen capability to capture the audience with his spontaneity, power and virtuosity during his performances.
Sukhvinder Singh has had a meteoric rise in popularity as an accompanist after several successful concerts with leading artists, such as Pandit Ravi Shankar, Late Ustad Vilayat Khan, Dr L Subramanuim (Violin), Ustad Amjad Ali Khan (Sarod), Pt. Hari Prasad Ji (Flute), Ustad Emrat Khan (Sitar), Ustad Fateh Ali Khan (Vocal), Pt. Ram Narayan (Sarangi), Pt. Jas Raj Ji (Vocal), and Ustad Sahid Parvez (Sitar). Sukhvinder has toured extensively across USA and India and has won a Grammy Award In 1994, with Ry Cooder for the Composition “A Meeting by the River”.
Sukhvinder has also been a featured soloist with BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in London, and has also performed at the BBC Proms, he has more than 40 CD’s in the markets worldwide, he also has a number of students, they have been learning from him for a number of years, they are also performing today.
Source – photo: www.chakardar.com, text: Taal Vadya Vidya
Sandeep Das (1971 - )
Disciple of Kishan Maharaj
Disciple of the legendary tabla maestro Pandit Kishan Maharaj ji of the Benaras Gharana, Das has carved out a niche for himself around the musical world. His concerts have taken him to major centers of music around the globe, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Royce Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Hollywood Bowl and the Petronas Tower Hall in Malaysia.
Sandeep has composed for and performed internationally with the Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma since the group’s founding in 2000. With the Ensemble, he performed at the United Nations General Assembly Hall in New York in 2008, played the BBC Proms in 2004 and 2009, and is the only Indian artist to have performed for the Opening Ceremony of the Special Olympic Games in Shanghai.
Sandeep’s debut, at the age of 16, was with the legendary Pt. Ravi Shankar.
In India and abroad, Sandeep performs frequently with stars of Indian music such as Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Dr. L Subramaniam and Ustad Shujaat Khan, among many others. Das’s talent for music and communication has allowed him to bridge the divide between Indian and Western classical music. In 1991, on his first trip outside India, Das performed with steel drum bands in Trinidad. In 2001 he performed a work composed by Kayhan Kalhor with the New York Philharmonic under the direction of Kurt Masur.
Sandeep has recorded music on more than 30 labels, including Virgin, Sony and Makar Records. His 2003 recording with Ghazal, including Kayhan Kalhor and Shujaat Khan, was nominated for a Grammy Award, as was the Silk Road Ensemble’s 2009 album Off the Map, which included “Sulvasutra,” a piece Evan Ziporyn composed for him.
Source - sandeepdas.com, Birches School
Arvind Kumar Azad
Disciple of Pt. Kishan Maharaj
Pune-based Arvind Kumar Azad is one of the senior-most disciples of the renowned tabla maestro Kishan Maharaj of the Benares gharana. Originally from Jamshedpur, Azad first started learning at a very early age from his illustrious father, noted tabla stalwart Lal Baboo. Azad belongs to the fourth generation of a family of tabla players. Later, Kishan Maharaj groomed him.
Arvindkumar Azad is sought as an accompanist for Indian classical music and dance, and is known for accompanying vocal and instrumental music as well. He has provided accompaniment to leading performers at prestigious music festivals held across India and has also traveled abroad for concerts.
Source - baajaagaajaa.com, arvindkumarazad.com
Bikku Mishra
Disciple of Baldeo Sahai
Disciples: Samta Prasad, Raganath MishraPandit Samta Prasad (1921-1994)
Disciple of Bikku Mishra
Pandit Samta Prasad (also known as Godai Maharaj) is a legend in the realm of Indian classical music. Born on July 20, 1921 in Benaras, into a family steeped in the tradition of Tabla and Pakhawaj, he joined ranks with a long line of famous Benaras Gharana percussionists. Pandit Pratap Maharaj, his great grandfather was a sought after Tabla player of his time. Pandit Jagannath Mishra, his grandfather was a renowned Tabla and Pakhawaj player and his father Bachha Lal Mishra, although not so well known as a performer, was a respected Tabla teacher. It was with him that Pandit Shamta Prasad started his education in Tabla. Unfortunately, Pandit ji lost his father at the tender age of seven. However, this proved to be a boon in disguise because the demise of his first guru led to his shagirdi under Pandit Vikku Maharaj of Benaras who was a disciple of the legendary Pandit Baldev Sahai. It was under his tutelage that Pandit ji’s talent burgeoned. Inspired by the great styles of Pandit Anokhelal Mishra and Ustad Habibuddin Khan Sahib and tutored by the discipline of his guru, Pandit ji embarked on a preordained journey. But inherited though it was, Pandit ji put in years of grueling hard work to make it the art the world witnessed. It is said that during his student years he used to put in 16/18 hours of riyaz (practice) every day. In fact, there is a story about his riyaz: When he was in practice in his house, people would see streams of water seep out from under the door and know that it was Pandit ji’s sweat.
In 1942, at the age of 21 Pandit ji participated in his first major music conference in Allahabad. His performance created a stir in the audience. The august musicians present in the conference were stunned and jubilated to hear Pandit ji. A star was born. From that glorious moment till the time of his death in 1995, Pandit Shamta Prasad carved out a niche for himself in the history of Indian classical music. He performed all over India as a soloist and as an accompanist. He also performed in some Hindi films like Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje and Basant Bahar. From time to time he accompanied various Indian Cultural delegations to the West.
Pandit ji’s contribution to music is immeasurable, but the qualities that make his baj (tabla playing) a true offering to the art, are the reason for his greatness. A distinct style of the application of kaida, peshkar, laggi and especially the chhand are the mark of his music. Taal to him was not just a mathematical configuration of syllables and beats, it was an ensemble of rhythms. And these rhythms were compounded with such a resonance, it gave evidence to the power and flexibility of his fingers. But it was controlled power that did not compromise clarity and melody. It is rightly said that Pandit Shamta Prasad played the Tabla with his heart and soul.
Pandit ji imparted his knowledge to many students. Among the most well known of his shagirds are Partha Sarathi Mukherjee, Naba Kumar Panda (AIR Cuttack) and Satya Narain Vashist. His two sons, Kumarlal and Kailash are also Tabla players, although not in the same league as some of his other students.
Source – text: www.chembur.com, image: Toronto Gharana
Bhagat-ji
Disciple of Ram Sahai
Bhairov Prasad Mishra
Disciple of Bhagat-jiPandit Anokhelal Mishra (1914-1958)
Disciple of Bhairov Prasad Mishra
Pandit Anokhelal Mishra was born in Kashi in 1914. He belonged to the Benaras Gharana of the Tabla. Both his parents died when he was very young and he was brought up by his grandmother. She detected his talent and enrolled him as a student of the Tabla in the Benaras Gharana of Ram Sahaiji. As a child, Anokhelal had to suffer poverty and deprivation. He was put under the tutelage of Pandit Bhairavprasadji, who gave him a rigorous education for 15 continuous years. This really worked wonders. Anokhelal put in unremitting practice, which went on for hours together, every day.
Anokhelalji’s relentless practice lent a unique clarity to his Tabla syllables. He was applauded for his superb ‘Nikas’ (sound production). He was called the wizard of ‘Na Dhin Dhin Na’. He could play these syllables with exceptional clarity, even at a supersonic speed. This assured him a place in history. Anokhelal was a soloist as well as an excellent accompanist.
At a time, when appearance in the National Programme of Music on All India Radio was a matter of immense prestige, Anokhelal figured in the same, a number of times. In the late fifties, his programmes were broadcast by the Voice of America as well. He was afflicted by Gangrene in 1956 and succumbed to it in 1958 at the very young age of 44. Humble and friendly by nature, he was popular all over the country. To him goes the credit of making the audience familiar with the Benaras style of Tabla. Anokhelal trained a number of pupils. His son Ramji Mishra, the late Mahapurush Mishra, Ishwarlal Mishra, Chhotelal Mishra and Kashinath Mishra are some of the prominent pupils of Pt. Anokhelal Mishra.
Source – photo: Patrick Moutal, text: www.dhadkan.com
Ram-ji Mishra
Son of Anokhelal Mishra
Source – Patrick Moutal
Mahapurush Mishra (1932-1987)
Disciple of Anokhelal Mishra
Mahapurush Mishra was a disciple of Pandit Anokhelal Mishra, a revered master of tabla. Mahapurush was a famous tabla accompanist to many topmost musicians and a professor at the Ali Akbar College of Music in Calcutta (now Kolkata). He spent most of his time during the late 1960s in USA teaching, recording, and appearing widely in numerous classical music concerts. There are far too few of his tabla solos in circulation.
Longtime tabla master, sideman to the stars, and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan’s main accompanist throughout the better part of three decades until his death, Pandit Mahapurush Mishra has also appeared on the Beatles b-side of Lady Madonna, George Harrison’s The Inner Light (recorded in Bombay in January 1968 with the vocal tracks added in London the next month) as well as on Harrison’s Wonderwall soundtrack.
Image Source – Toronto Gharana, Text source - Miles Shrewsbury
Chotte Lal Mishra (1940-2013)
Disciple of Anokhelal Mishra
Image Source –Patrick Moutal

Pandit Ishwar Lal Mishra
Disciple of Anokhelal Mishra
Krishna Kumar Ganguly “Natu Babu” (1905-1993)
Disciple of Durga Sahai
Krishna Kumar Ganguly, popularly known as Natu Babu, the fourth son of Sri Surath Nath, was born in November 1905 and lived in their ancestral Tallah home in Kolkata.
Music was already in the family as Surath Nath’s elder brother Pandit Manmatha Nath had considerable expertise in tabla. Drawn to tabla naturally, young Natu expressed his keenness to learn the idiom to his father. Though initially rather reluctant, Surath Nath took Natu to Chunilal Banerjee, a friend and a reputed tabla player. For three years Natu Babu trained with Chunilal Babu. Later he trained under Pandit Durga Sahai for ten years. Natu Babu blossomed into an accomplished tabla player, but to satisfy his hunger for knowledge he studied with Pandit Purushottam Mishra for five years. He trained in the Lucknow style under Chhotan Khan for eight years. From Basid Khan and Labban Khan, he mastered a number of Delhi Gharana compositions.
Pandit Kanthe Maharaj of Benaras came to live in Calcutta in 1937 and at Chhotan Khan’s behest Pandit Kanthe Maharaj trained Natu Babu till 1969. Thus Natu Babu imbibed training from the Lucknow & Benaras Gharanas simultaneously.
Such a highly talented person remained an introvert and a bachelor. All praise that came his way, he politely ascribed to his gurus. He avoided all honours which the music world wished to confer on him. He taught his students without charging any fees as he believed that if he taught his students selflessly then after rebirth he would get a better Guru among them. He was an advocate by profession and spent all his earnings for the betterment of his disciples. Even he performed at concerts without any remuneration.
Natu Babu passed away on 3rd July 1993, leaving behind Sri Gour Pal, Sri Samar Saha, Sri Tarak Saha, Sri Lakshmi Narayan, Sri Nirmal Ganguly and many other pupils.
Source – Sangeet Piyasi