Ramesh Nadkarni

Late Pandit Ramesh Nadkarni was a Hindustani classical music singer from Jogeshwari. Nadkarni a disciple of Aman Ali Khan had composed over 250 melodies and Ragas. He was honored for his dedicated lifelong service to classical music and was awarded a fellowship by Sursingar Sansad, Mumbai. He was part of BHENDI BAZAR GHARANA. Ramesh was born in Mumbai in 1921 to a Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin family from Bankikodla-Hanehalli. His father Laxman Nadkarni was an employee of the mint (coin) facility at Hyderabad. Ramesh spent his childhood in Bankikodla. After completing his middle school, he came to Mumbai to study music. His mother Uma a devotional singer inspired young Ramesh to study Hindustani music. After graduating from the University of Mumbai, he continued his music interest to earn Sangeeta Pravaeena. Nadkarni had already become a disciple of Aman Ali Khan. Ramesh was married to Sushila Balwally from Ankola. At the age of 30, Ramesh came back to his village and served as a music teacher of the A. H. School, Bankikodla a school at his village until 1957. During his stay at Bankikodla, he taught English, and sanskrit including music at school; he kept himself busy in music programs of All India Radio (AIR), Dharwar. At the age of 37, AIR hired Ramesh Nadkarni as a music producer in Cuttack. He spent almost two decades working for AIR at various places including Indore, Bhopal, New Delhi, Dharwar and Mumbai (1970–1981) where he retired as a director of AIR.