Pandit Vikas Maharaj

Biography of the Pandit Vikash Maharaj

Pandit Vikash Maharaj, a great sarod maestro known as the great Indian musician, was born in the year 1957 in the Banaras Gharana in the professional music family in Varanasi. He is the famous personality of India of the 14^th generation. As being the sarod player he was inspired by his mother. He got his training from the Banaras Gharana as a tabla performer but naturally he was also interested in playing the sarod from his childhood. As soon as he became inspired through his mother, he has started getting the training of sarod playing from his Guru Sri Rajesh Chandra Moitra (from the Maihar Gharana). He got trained just in 6 months as he worked hard and he selected as the Sarod performer at All India Radio Varanasi.

As he was related to the professional music family, he got his music quality genetically. He was also taught all the important lessons of music from his grandfather Pandit Bade Ramdas ji, Pandit Kanthe Maharaj, his father Pandit Nanhku Maharaj and his uncle Pandit Kishan Maharaj. An excellent arrangement of the swar (means tone) and laya (means rhythm) can observe while performing at sarod.

Career of the Pandit Vikash Maharaj

His ability to perform the sarod music uniquely makes him able to innovatively create the raga and tala. He got an excellent music quality through his father and fore fathers who were also great maestros in the variety of fields of an ancient Indian Classical Music. He became a great sarod performer and came in to the prominence early as sarod is an extraordinary music instrument in the country. He has performed both nationally and internationally many times during his life time and became the most recognized Indian musician. He was specially invited by the Ex President of the Germany named, Mr. Karl Castin at the International Leprosy Eradication Festival. And he was also invited by the Ex Prime Minister named Ms. Helen Clark at the Diwali festival at Parliament in the New Zealand.

He was honored by the title ‘visiting professor’ by the different universities as well as music academies. He has given the workshops and important lessons over musical culture of the India to the various Professors, students as well as musicians of the music field. He made a link of understanding of music and teaching between the Europe and India. A Music Institute of Benares in the Varanasi city is running by the Pandit Vikash Maharaj in order to make live the ancient Bandis and Taals through teaching.

Awards and Recognitions

He has been awarded with the:

• Sarod Maestro and Sarod Wizard in the year 1986 and 1978 respectively.
• Honored with the Professor of Music in Germany in the year 1995.
• Honored with the Ambassador of Indian Culture and Siti Ratna Award in the year 1997.
• Sarod Shiromani Award in the year 1998.
• Dr. Radha Krishnan Award, Saraswati Award and Paharua Samman Award in the year 2001.
• Guru Award in the year 2005.
• Vidya Bhusan Awards in the year 2007.
• Saint Kesava Das Ratna Samman in the year 2012.

Social Activism of the Pandit Vikash Maharaj

• He is the Chairman of the Cultural Forum against child servitude and the Bhagwan Buddha Mahavidyalaya, Sarnath, Varanasi.
• He is the Member of the United Nations Youth Organization and Ex Member of the U.P. I.A.S. Association, India.
• He is the Director of the Panchnaad Group which is devoted to promote the Indian Classical Music and Culture.
• He is the co-founder member and music director of the Water Saving Project in order to save the water across the earth.
• He is the Vice-Chairman of People vigilance Committee on Human Rights.

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