Vocalist Rajan Mishra of Banaras gharana dies of Covid in Delhi

VARANASI: Classical singer Rajan Mishra, 70, of the Banaras gharana died of Covid in Delhi on Sunday. He was admitted to Delhi’s St Stephen Hospital after he developed heart complications along with Covid-19.
A recipient of Padma Bhushan, he was part of the famed vocalist brother duo of ‘Pandit Rajan Sajan Mishra’.
Trained in the khayal style of Indian classical music by his grandfather’s brother Bade Ram Das Ji Mishra and father, Hanuman Prasad Mishra, Rajan and his younger brother Sajan performed extensively in India and abroad.
Growing up in his ancestral house at Kashi’s musical lane — Kabirchaura — which housed legendary artistes, including Pandit Kishan Maharaj and Gudai Maharaj, he moved to Delhi with his brother Sajan in 1977, but never lost his association with Kashi and the Banaras Gharana.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled Pandit Rajan Mishra’s death, saying the singer left his impression in the world of classical music. “Loss of an exponent from Banaras Gharana is an irreparable loss to the music world,” the PM tweeted. UP minister of state for tourism, religious affairs and culture Neelkanth Tiwari also expressed grief, saying music lovers in India and abroad are in shock.
Also tutored in the classical style by their uncle and sarangi virtuoso, Gopal Prasad Mishra, the brother duo began performing in public while in their teens. Their first performance abroad was at a concert in Sri Lanka in 1978, before they toured countries across the world, including Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, USA, UK, The Netherlands, Russia, Singapore, Qatar and Bangladesh.
They launched 20 music albums of the khayal style, semi-classical tappa and bhajans. The brother duo was conferred with Padma Bhushan in 2007, Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1998, Gandharwa National Award in 1994-1995 and the National Tansen Samman 2011-12.