Ravindra Yavagal

Indian tabla artiste (born 1959)

Ravindra Yavagal

Yavagal in February 2021

Born| 1959

Karnataka, India

Occupation| Tabla player
Employer| All India Radio
Children| 2
Awards|

* Rajyotsava Award (1995)
* Karnataka Kalashri (2016–17)
* Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2021)

Pandit[1][2] Ravindra Yavagal (born 1959) is an Indian tabla player, performer and music teacher from the state of Karnataka. An eminent artiste,[3] he is both a soloist and an accompanist. He received Rajyotsava Award in 1995, Karnataka Kalashri for 2016–17 and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2021 for his contributions.

## Early life

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Ravindra Yavagal was born in 1959[4] in a Kannadiga family to Ramachandra Yavagal and Parvathi Bai.[2] Ramachandra was also a tabla player; he learnt tabla despite objections from his family.[5] He hails from Dharwad district of Karnataka.[2]

## Career

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Yavagal started learning tabla at the age of 4 from his father, later from Veeranna Kamkar of Gayathri Gayana Shaala in Hubli and further vigorous training from Sheshagiri Hanagal. Lalji Gokhale mentored Yavagal. At the age of 10, he performed at Sawai Gandharva Music Festival in Kundgol where he was accompanied by Appa Jalgaonkar.[2]

Following the death of Yavagal's father, he started receiving more opportunities to perform tabla. A year later, he started hosting baithaks (musical gatherings) at his residence in Hubli and dedicated the events to his father. According to him, when his family moved to Bangalore, he was unable to host the baithaks for about an year and only resumed in 2000 when he was able to find a bigger accommodating house in Bangalore's suburb of Jakkur.[5]

In 1980s,[when?] he joined All India Radio, the national public radio broadcaster of India.[4] As of November 2016[update], he works there as a grade one artist.[3]

## Music concerts

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A sample of tabla play by Yavagal

Yavagal played tabla in India and as well as internationally at music concerts – solo performances and also accompanied hundreds of instrumentalists and vocalists including several prominent artistes the likes of Ajoy Chakrabarty, Basavaraj Rajguru, Bhimsen Joshi, C. R. Vyas, Gangubai Hangal, Jasraj, Mallikarjun Mansur, Parveen Sultana, Rajan and Sajan Mishra and Salamat Ali Khan.[6][2][4]

He also played in the concerts of Carnatic music maestros including M. Balamuralikrishna, T. N. Krishnan, Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman among others.[6] Starting his career at an early age allowed him to work with artistes stretching five generations.[2]

## Charitable activities

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Yavagal, along with his friends,[5] founded Sri Rama Kala Vedike Trust in 2006 in the memory of his father. The trust promotes Indian classical music, aid young artists with scholarships[4] and provides financial help to artists in need.[6] It also organizes various music concerts and festivals[5][7] including an annual musical fest "Naada Namana" in the memory of Ramachandra Yavagal. Ravindra acts as the managing trustee.[8] He also volunteers in organizing medical help for musicians in need of help and facilitates artistes.[5]

## Teaching

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Yavagal teaches tabla at his music school in Bangalore. Several of his students went on to become music teachers and performers, including Praveen D. Rao[9] and Udayraj Karpur [de]. According to vocalist Vinayak Torvi, Yavagal's school lies on the lines of Kallusakkare (transl. candy) gharana.[clarification needed][2]

## Reception

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Yavagal's play is described as having admirable clarity and a balance in the approach of beating the drums with both hands. Lalith J. Rao, an eminent Hindustani classical singer of the Agra gharana style, described Yavagal as "[a person who] is born for the tabla [and who] lives and breathes the tabla".[2] His plays where he accompanied are generally received favourably by critics and connoisseurs alike.[10][11][12][13][14]

## Awards

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Yavagal received several honours.[4] In 1995, the Government of Karnataka awarded him the Rajyotsava Award,[4] the second highest civilian award of Karnataka.[15] Karnataka Sangeeta Nritya Academy has conferred him with Karnataka Kalashri, a lifetime award, for the year 2016–17.[16] The Government of India honoured him with Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, country's highest award in arts,[17] for the year 2021.[1]

## Personal life

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Yavagal is married to Suvarna and has two sons – Kiran, also a tabla player, and Nayan, a singer.[2] Kiran accompanies Ravindra at some of his performances.[18]

## References

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1. ^ a b "Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards announced". Star of Mysore. 26 November 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i C. S. Sarvamangala (20 December 2019). "Yavagal: Tabla maestro at 60". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
3. ^ a b "Pt. Yavagal chosen for Ustad Balekhan Award". The Hindu. 26 November 2016. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
4. ^ a b c d e f Ananth, Ambika (22 August 2015). "A champion of solo gigs". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
5. ^ a b c d e Vasudev, Chetana Divya (20 December 2014). "Kala Shrunga for Shahid Pervez". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
6. ^ a b c Ramani, Chitra V. (20 August 2016). "Students to honour their guru Ravindra Yavagal on Sunday". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
7. ^ "Naada Namana music festival on May 21, 22". The Hindu. 20 May 2022. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
8. ^ Raju, Sowmya (19 May 2022). "Musical fete returns after a two-year hiatus". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
9. ^ Chandaraju, Aruna (7 August 2022). "Synergies between the notes". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
10. ^ Ganesh, Deepa (27 November 2010). "Evocative moments". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
11. ^ C. S. Sarvamangala (12 February 2015). "Subliminal music". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
12. ^ "Captivating melodies". The Hindu. 11 June 2015. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
13. ^ Ganesh, Deepa (13 April 2017). "Literature of the heart..." The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
14. ^ Suryanarayan, Renuka (22 November 2018). "'Raag appeals more to Chennai rasikas,' says Sarod artiste Arnab Chakrabarty". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
15. ^ Arakal, Ralph Alex (28 October 2020). "Karnataka: 60 personalities, 5 organisations to be conferred with Rajyotsava Prashasti on Nov 7". The Indian Express. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
16. ^ "18 artistes chosen for Karnataka Kalashree awards". The Hindu. 12 August 2016. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
17. ^ "Sangeet Natak Akademi Award to UoH professor". The Hindu. 20 July 2019. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
18. ^ Govind, Ranjani (14 April 2016). "Bengaluru remembers Venkatesh Godkhindi". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 29 December 2022.

## External links

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* Media related to Ravindra Yavagal at Wikimedia Commons

*[transl.]: translation