Dr. Bhalchandra Patekar singing Raag Kafi Kanada

My Grandfather-in-law, Dr. Bhalchandra Petekar, sings Raag Kafi Kanada.

Dr. Bhalchandra Patekar (23rd March 1928 to 21st December 1996) was an eminent and illustrious exponent of the Jaipur Atrauli gharana. He received his formal training in Vocal Music from Pt. Ganpatrao Tilak. At various stages of his glorious career in Music he also learnt from other artists such as Pt. Mohanrao Palekar, Gulubhai Jasdhanwala, Pt. Ratnakar Pai, and Pt. Ramaji Shukla, to name a few.

Dr. Patekar worked as an associate professor of Vocal Music at Women's College, Benares Hindu University, from 1960 to 1988. During his service in Varanasi he successfully trained many students from India and abroad. In 1973 he published a paper titled “Comparative Study of Indian and Western Classical music" in collaboration with Dr. Caesar Bresgan from Germany, and was invited to Europe in the same year to present his paper at a conference in Germany. He traveled to Europe again in 1975 where in a period of 6 months he performed a series of concerts, and gave lectures and demonstrations in various places in Germany, Austria, Holland, England, and France.

In 1984, Dr. Patekar performed the role of Khan Saheb in the popular Marathi musical play "Katyar Kaljat Ghusli" which was originally performed earlier by Pt. Vasantrao Deshpande. After retirement, Dr. Patekar worked as a Director of the Kala Academy in Goa, before he left for his heavenly abode in December 1996.