S. Ballesh
Pandit Dr. S. Ballesh, born Ballappa Sanna Bharamappa Bhajantri and also known as S. Ballesh Bhajantri on 1 April 1958) is an Indian classical Hindustani shehnai player. One of the most well-known disciples of shehnai player Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan, he is an expert in Benares gharana shehnai playing, and a Patiala gharana Hindustani vocalist, ghazal singer, Indian Playback singer and musician, often referred by the title "Panditji" and "BadeGuruji". Ballesh is credited with popularizing the shehnai, a reeded woodwind instrument. While the shehnai had long held importance as a folk instrument played in traditional ceremonies  in India, Ballesh is credited with elevating its status and bringing it back to the centre stage. He plays often for Prasar Bharati's All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan. He was awarded India's fourth-highest civilian honour, the Padma Shri, in 2022, in the field of Art, conferred by the President of India, on the eve of the 73rd Republic Day, becoming the second classical musician of India after Ustad Bismillah Khan to receive the award. Early life and education. Ballesh was born to Shehnai Samrat Pandit Sanna Bharamanna and Smt. Yellamma in M.K.Hubli, Kittur taluka, Belgaum district , Karnataka. Ballesh is from a family of well-known shehnai players from M. K. Hubli - tracing back to Court musicians to the ruling Lingaraja Dynasty, with a performance history of over 500 years. His great-grandfather Pandit Yamanappa Bhajantri was a shehnai player. His father and three (Paternal) uncles (father brothers) Pandit Dodda Bharamappa, Pandit Ramappa and Pandit Rudrappa were shehnai players. He started learning from his father, and later continued from his (uncle) father's elder brother Pandit Dodda Bharamanna and with musicians such as Dr. D.P. Hiremath (Kirana gharana), and Pt. Puttaraj Gawai (Gwalior gharana). He is a  member of the Panchakshara Gawai brotherhood, and Sangit acharya Pandit Kodhanda Singh Salunke and Prakash Singh Salunke (Patiala gharana), besides the Ustad Bismillah Khan shehnai in (Benares gharana). Ballesh was then accepted by Ustad Bismillah Khan as his disciple, and as one of the five, and only surviving direct disciple, Khan Saab bestowed the title “Dakshina Bharat Bismillah Khan” on Pandit Ballesh. In a story told in several versions and interviews, Ustad Bismillah Khan once remarked that Ballesh was the "assurance for the future of Shehnai in Indian classical music". Musical career. Shehnai. Ballesh can play various styles on the  shehnai: aalaapi and aakaar like khayal singing, jhala like sitar and sarod, tatkar like kathak dancers, meend and harquatts like sarangi and violin, and continuity tones like bansuri. Ballesh and his son Krishna were accompanied by Ustad Nazim Hussain, the younger son of Ustad Bismillah Khan, in various concerts with his tabla. He has also performed jugalbandis, along with sitarist Ustad Shahid Parvez, mohan veena player Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and accompanied by tablist Yogesh Samsi, Subhankar Banerjee. Singing. Ballesh's singing style is inspired from Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Ustad Salamat Ali Khan and Ustad Nazakat Ali Khan , Inspired by the ideals of his Guru Ustad Bismillah Khan and Pandit Puttaraja Gawai, Ballesh and his son Krishna Ballesh founded Tansen Academy of Music, a school of music, with his musical work continued by his three sons by Prakash, Krishna and Shivanand Ballesh. Film music. Ballesh has been a musician for many music directors in Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, Rajasthani, and Bhojpuri cinema, performing compositions by Naushad Ali, M. S. Viswanathan, G.K. Venkatesh, Ravindra Jain, Ravendra master, Ilaiyaraaja, A. R. Rahman and M. M. Keeravani. He has sung and played shehnai for more than 9,000  movies background scores and 45,000 film songs in several languages, more than 50,000 devotional songs for several religions and languages, he has sung Hindustani music Alaaps for films, and had also collaborated on shehnai with international musicians and composers in recordings. He has sung several songs along with the singers K. J. Yesudas, S. Janaki, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Ilaiyaraaja, M. M. Keeravani and A. R. Rahman. Ballesh played shehnai for the Hindi film "Raanjhanaa", with music by A.R. Rahman. He also played shehnai for the song ""The Dichotomy of Fame"" in Imtiaz Ali's 2011 Hindi film "Rockstar", with music  by A.R. Rahman. Awards and recognition. In 2022, he was awarded India's fourth-highest civilian award, the Padma Shri in the field of Art, conferred by the President of India, on the eve of the 73rd Republic Day. For Pandit Ballesh, the Padma Shri award recognition is a record-breaking in many counts. Ballesh is the second Hindustani classical shehnai player of India to receive Padmashri after his Guru Ustad Bismillah Khan. He is the first Hindustani musician in Tamil Nadu, as well as first shehnai player in Southern India (Dakshina Bharat) to receive Padma award. He is the  first shehnai player from Ustad Bismillah Khan Sishya Parampara to receive Padma award. Likewise, he is the first shehnai player from All India Film Music industry to receive Padma award. He is the first person in Korama caste, Bhajantri community to receive Padma award in 73 years of Republic of India. Furthermore, he is the second musician from Gadag, Veerashwar Punyashram being disciple of Pandit Puttaraj Gawai to receive Padma award. In 2020, Pandit Ballesh and his son Dr. Krishna Ballesh both were jointly conferred with Tamil Nadu state's highest civilian honour, the Kalaimamani (Joint) award, conferred by the  Chief Minister. In 2019, Ballesh was conferred with Karnataka Kalashri (Karnataka State Sangeeta Nataka Akademi award), state's highest award given for a musician by Government of Karnataka for his contribution to Indian classical music by Karnataka Sangeeta Nritya Academy In 2021, Ballesh and his son Krishna were conferred with Ustad Bismillah Khan Kala Ratna Samman (Joint Award) by India Tourism Varanasi, Government of India and by Ustad Bismillah Khans family members. Performances. In 2006, Ballesh and his son, Krishna Ballesh, played a musical tribute to Krishna Hangal, daughter of Gangubai Hangal, at the presentation award ceremony for the first  Krishna Hangal Memorial Award of the Hangal Music Foundation at the Sawai Gandharva Hall in Hubli. In 2015, Ballesh performed at the 140th Baba Harballabh Sangeet Sammelan that commenced at Shri Devi Talab Mandir, Jalandhar. In 2016, Ballesh and his son, Krishna, were invited by Executive President of the Arya Sangeet Prasarak Mandal Pt Shrinivas Joshi to perform for the 100th birthday anniversary of their guru Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan in the 64th anniversary of the “Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Mahotsav” music festival in pune founded by Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. World tour. Ballesh has conducted several music tours  including at least one with the composer Ilaiyaraaja