Queen Prabha Atre goes ‘beyond’ -- leaves melody sulking
| Date :14-Jan-2024 |
PUNE,
RENOWNED classical singer and Padma Vibhushan recipient Dr Prabha Atre passed away following a cardiac arrest at her residence here at the age of 92 early on Saturday, sources close to her said. Atre, a torch-bearer of the Kirana Gharana of Hindustani classical music, had been honoured with all three Padma awards by the Indian Government. “Atre suffered a cardiac arrest during her sleep at her residence. She was rushed to Dinanath Mangeshkar Hospital, where she was declared dead at 5.30 am,” a source said. Since some of the close family members of Atre live abroad, her funeral will be performed once they arrive, the source added. She was supposed to leave for Mumbai on Saturday to perform at “Swarprabha” programme. Born on September 13, 1932, Atre was known for her multi-faceted personality. Besides being a classical vocalist, she also excelled as an academician, researcher, composer and author. A science and law graduate, she had a doctorate in music. She was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the nation’s second-highest civilian honour, in January 2022.
She was earlier honoured with the Padma Shri award in 1990 and the Padma Bhushan in 2002. Atre was adept at different musical genres, including khyaal, tarana, thumri, dadra, ghazal and bhajan. With her demise, Indian classical music has lost two legends within a week as Ustad Rashid Khan passed away on Tuesday in Kolkata following his battle with cancer. Prabha Atre defied stereotype, followed no tradition She wanted to sing till her last breath and she did. Almost. Prabha Atre, the woman who could have been lawyer, scientist or doctor but became a globally renowned Hindustani classical vocalist instead. In an era when few women ventured into academia or public life, Atre studied two varying disciplines – she had a Bachelor of Science degree from Ferguson College in Pune and one from the Law College in the university there. And unlike many artistes born into families where music was a generations-old tradition or those who trained since they were children, Atre found melody somewhere along the way of life. The internationally renowned Hindustani classical music vocalist from the Kirana Gharana defied many a stereotype, had no musical background and didn’t follow tradition blindly either.
In fact, she would say quite simply that singing was better than dissecting frogs or defending criminals. “I was studying science and then law and never thought in my wildest dream that I would be a musician. My parents were into academics and in fact my mother’s illness brought music to our house. She used to learn the harmonium and I used to sit beside her. She left music but I continued,” Atre told PTI in January 2022 after receiving the Padma Vibhushan, the nation’s second highest civilian honour. It was the third in the series for the much feted singer who had received the Padma Shri in 1990 and the Padma Bhushan in 2002. Music, said the artiste who was dubbed the ‘swara-yogini’, was her destiny. Right up till the end, as she had promised herself.
Atre was a pioneer in popularising Indian classical music in the west, giving her first performance in 1969. She displayed constant innovation and creative endeavour in treatment, design and presentation of the musical material.
Whether ‘khyaal’, ‘tarana’, ‘thumri’, ‘dadra’, ‘ghazal’, or ‘bhajan’, her sincerity to her art and sensitivity to the times clearly surfaced in her thinking and her singing. PM Modi condoles demise of Prabha Atre: Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of classical singer Prabha Atre and said her life was a symphony of excellence and dedication. “Dr. Prabha Atre Ji was a luminary of Indian classical music, whose work was admired not just in India but across the globe. Her life was a symphony of excellence and dedication. Her efforts have greatly enriched our cultural fabric. Pained by her demise. Condolences to her family and admirers. Om Shanti,” the prime minister said in a post on X.