Rachna Bodas wtih Nitin Mitta, Praneet Marathe

Rachna Bodas is a highly accomplished Hindustani classical vocalist recognized globally for her rich, pure, and vibrant voice. Grounded deeply in the traditional Gwalior Gharana style of singing, she has built a reputation both as an evocative performer and a dedicated teacher of Indian classical music. She grew up in Kanpur, India, surrounded by classical music from an early age. Her grandfather was a sitar player, and her father, Shri Ravi Shankar Shukla, is an accomplished tabla player who frequently accompanied prominent musicians. Her style of singing and approach towards a raag is heavily influenced by her late Guru, Veena Sahasrabuddhe. Rachna holds an academic degree in Music and English. Bodas is celebrated for her unique approach to unravelling a Raag. Critics and listeners frequently note her masterful sur-lagaav (pitch placement), imaginative improvisations, and forceful, gamak-laden taans (rapid melodic patterns). She has performed extensively at major festivals and cultural venues worldwide, ranging from sunrise sets at the Chicago Cultural Center to classical music showcases at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto and the LearnQuest Music Festival in Massachusetts. Alongside her active concert career, she remains deeply passionate about preserving her gurus’ legacy by teaching aspiring students.

Praneet Marathe hails from a lineage deeply entrenched in musical tradition and is a distinguished harmonium player and educator. Under the tutelage of his father, Pramod Marathe, a renowned exponent of the harmonium and his mother Parineeta Marathe, Praneet has dedicated himself to promoting Indian Classical music in India and globally. His musical study started at the age of 6 and his debut concert at the age of 12 marked the onset of his career. He has accompanied many eminent musical luminaries around the world and his harmonium playing is held in high regard and in demand as an accompaniment artist. His repertoire graces prestigious platforms worldwide, including the Pune Festival, All India Radio concerts, and Ragamala in the United States. In recognition of his talent, Praneet was honored with a scholarship from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, in the field of Harmonium. Driven by a desire to contribute to the musical fraternity, he extended the legacy of Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Pune music school beyond its borders, founding the inaugural branch outside India in North America in 2023.

Nitin Mitta: With a reputation for technical virtuosity, spontaneity, clarity of tone, and sensitivity to melodic nuances, Nitin Mitta has distinguished himself among the foremost tabla players of his generation. An exponent of the Farukhabad Gharana (style of playing), Nitin received his early training in his hometown of Hyderabad, India, from Pandit G. Satyanarayana, and later Arvind Mulgaonkar in Mumbai. In addition to being a dynamic soloist, he is a highly sought after accompanist who has performed with some of the most celebrated Hindustani classical musicians, including Pandit Jasraj, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, and Shahid Parvez, as well as many noted Carnatic musicians, such as Lalgudi G.J.R Krishnan and Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi. Nitin has collaborated with Grammy nominated jazz pianist Vijay Iyer and Carnatic guitarist Prasanna to produce Tirtha, an album and live trio blending elements of contemporary jazz with the North and South Indian traditional ragas and compositions. Most recently Nitin collaborated with Vijay Iyer again as a trio with Indian classical sarod master Alam Khan.