Shubha Mudgal

Shubha Mudgal
Mudgal playing the tanpura in 2006.
Background information
Birth name	Shubha Gupta
Born	1959 (age 52–53), Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
Genres	Pop, folk, Indian classical, playback singing
Occupations	Singer
Years active	1986 – present
Website	http://shubhamudgal.com

Shubha Mudgal (born 1959) is a well-known Indian singer of Hindustani classical music, Khayal, Thumri, Dadra, and popular Indian Pop music.

She has been awarded the 1996 National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film Music Direction for 'Amrit Beej', the 1998 Gold Plaque Award for Special Achievement in Music, at the 34th Chicago International Film Festival, for her music in the film Dance of the Wind (1997), and the Padma Shri in 2000. She is also close to progressive movements like ANHAD and SAHMAT.

Early life

Born in an academic family to Skand and Jaya Gupta in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. Both her parents were Professors of English Literature at Allahabad University, with deep interest in Classical Hindustani Music and Kathak. Her paternal grandfather, Prof. P. C. Gupta was also a Professor at Allahabad University.

She attended St. Mary's Convent Inter College. As a young girl she started learning Kathak in Allahabad following the foot steps of her sister. She once replied to a dance examiner's routine query of aap kis gharaane ki naachti hain (what style/form do you dance?) with the retort hum apne gharaane ki naachti hain (I dance my own style). She later switched to Hindustani Classical Music as her vocation of choice while maintaining the same individualistic attitude. Her first traditional teacher (guru) was Pandit Ramashreya Jha in Allahabad.

Shubha moved to New Delhi, and enrolled at the Delhi University. She continued her musical education under Pandit Vinaya Chandra Mudgalya at the urging of her first guru. After graduating from the University, her training continued under Pandit Vasant Thakar in Delhi, and more informally with other established singer as Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki, Naina Devi and Pt. Kumar Gandharva.

Performing career

Shubha Mudgal performing in 2007

Shubha Mudgal started performing as a Hindustani Classical Singer in the 80's, and gained a certain reputation as a talented singer. In the 90's, she started experimenting with other forms of music, including pop and fusion varieties. She is known to be highly commercial and ready to go any extent for grabbing of a concert^{[citation needed]}. She has also been criticized for singing for local advertisements on Indian channels for want of money which is considered stooping low in the field of classical singing. She says, "I believe in music. Khayal and Thumri are my favourites, but that does not mean that I should not experiment with other forms. Why should I curtail my musical urges?" asks the singer and adds, "I want to allow the artist in me to come through. If you are a musician, how can you say, 'this one is from devotional poetry, so I am not going to sing it.' In addition to her recordings and concerts, she briefly runs a website called raagsangeet.com aimed at lovers of Classical Indian Music.

Personal life

After graduating from University, Shubha married Pt. Mudgalya's son Mukul Mudgal who was a promising lawyer. Shubha Mudgal however got divorced from him, and married Aneesh Pradhan. Her only son from her previous marriage, Dhawal, is a member of a Delhi-based band.

Discography

• Ali More Angana (1996)
• Arasial (1998)
• Classically Yours (1999) ISBN: D4HV2718
• Ab ke Sawan
• Pyaar Ke Geet
• Mann Ki Manjeree
• Kisson Ki Chadar (2003)
• Shubh Deepavali (2005)
• Anand Mangal
• The Awakening (2006)
• Jahan-E-Khusrau (2007)

References

• Maheshwari, Belu (Feb. 4, 2001). Shubha spreads magic, again!. Spectrum.
• Ghosh, Ritujay (Jul. 27, 2006). Shubha charmed by Sufi music. HindustanTimes.

External links

• Official website
• Shubha Mudgal at the Internet Movie Database
• Shubha Mudgal in Dance with the Wind
• Diwali 2008 Sunnyvale, US concert updates at UPANA